Inquest opens into death of 15-year-old who fell from trailer at Appleby Horse Fair

An inquest has opened into the death of a teenage boy five days after a road traffic incident during this year’s Appleby Horse Fair.

Denis Ward, 15, died on 14 June in hospital after suffering a head injury on Long Marton Road close to the junction with Belgravia, on the town's outskirts.

Dr Nicholas Shaw, assistant coroner for Cumbria, said: "Denis was attending the fair with his grandparents and on Friday, 9 June, he fell, we understand, from the rear end of a horse trailer, sustaining serious injuries which despite treatment in James Cook Hospital proved fatal.”

Police officers first on the scene provided initial first aid before handing over care to paramedics. Mr ward was transported from the scene by air ambulance and was initially described as being critically ill in James Cook University Hospital, Middlesborough.

His funeral was held on Tuesday this week. Floral tributes, Irish flags and photographs of the youngster, along with Rolls Royce vehicles, white vans and white horses, formed part of a cortege in his home city of Bradford.

The inquest was adjourned until a future date to be fixed.

Police had appealed for witnesses to come forward as they began an investigation into what caused the incident. A man arrested on 11 June, at that stage on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, was later released under investigation pending further enquiries.

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