Ripon pays respects to tragic Ukrainian family

Staff, parents and children from Holy Trinity School in Ripon have been paying their respects to the three members of a Ukrainian family killed in a car crash on Sunday.

The family members were named by North Yorkshire Police yesterday afternoon as Daria Bartienieva (known as Dasha), 35, her son, Ihor Bartienieva, aged 6, and Daria’s step-daughter, Anastasiia Bartienieva.

Ihor had been a pupil of Holy Trinity School.

From 2.30pm yesterday, a steady stream of people visited the quiet space created in Holy Trinity Church to light candles, write messages and sign a book of condolence.

A poignant message posted online yesterday by Holy Trinity Church, said:

“We have lost mother, Dasha, daughter Anastasiia (known as Staci) and Ihor. Dasha was 35 and had lost her husband in February this year. Staci had been in this country only 5 weeks and was just 15 in June.

“Ihor had his 6th birthday last month. Liza at 16 was not with them in the car and has now lost all her immediate family. Please pray for Liza at this terrible time, and for her family abroad and friends here as they support her.”

A fundraising appeal to raise money for Liza has now generated more than £11,000. You can donate here.

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Candles to be lit in Ripon for children and mother killed in crash

A Ripon church will open today to let people say prayers and light candles for a mother and her two children killed in a car crash on Sunday.

Holy Trinity Church will welcome staff, parents and children from nearby Holy Trinity School and anyone else who knew those who died.

The church said in a post online:

“A space has been created where people can sit quietly, light a candle and write in a condolence book.

“There will be someone available to pray with you if you would like this.

“If you do come please keep quiet at this sensitive time.”

Police said yesterday three people died in a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker bus on the A61 Ripon Road near South Stainley at 2.20pm on Sunday.

It was the second fatal collision on the road between Ripon and Harrogate on consecutive weekends.

The church said the victims, who have not been named yet by police, were three members of a Ukrainian family living in Ripon.

It said the mother was aged 35 and had lost her husband in February this year.

Her 15-year-old daughter, who had only been in the country for five weeks, and her six-year-old son also died, the church added.

It urged people to pray for the sole remaining daughter and her family abroad.

A fundraising page for the girl has already raised more than £5,000. You can donate here.

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