Special church service for Cardiff hit-and-run victims

  • Wales
A special service of prayer at The Church of the Resurrection in Ely Credit: Tim Ireland/PA Wire

Murder squad detectives are continuing to question a 31-year-old man over a fatal series hit-and-run collisions as nine victims remain in hospital.

A special church service has been held in Ely in support of the victims and their families while candles and flowers continue to be left at the crash site outside the fire station on Cowbridge Road West where 31-year-old Karina Menzies was killed.

Two of the injured adults are in a critical condition and five children have also been receiving treatment at the University Hospital of Wales.

Reverend Jan Gould, who has taken the church service, has pleaded with people not to "harbour revenge" against the perpetrator.

In this afternoon's service, she described the aftermath of Friday's events as "perhaps the deepest grief that we have shared as a community".

People leave following a special service of prayer at The Church of the Resurrection in Ely Credit: Tim Ireland/PA Wire
Karina Menzies Credit: South Wales Police/family

South Wales Police were last night granted a further 36 hours to detain and question the arrested man.

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley said there were witness reports that the suspect carried a weapon and left his Iveco van to physically assault people - although he ruled out it being a knife or gun.

CCTV still of the van believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run incident Credit: Wales News Service
CCTV still of the van believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run incident Credit: Wales News Service
CCTV still of the van believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run incident Credit: Wales News Service

More than 70 officers are working on the investigation, studying CCTV footage and taking witness statements to help build a picture of what happened.