Tragedy: Woman killed after visit to see grandchild

An Ahoghill woman was killed as she returned from hospital after visiting her newborn grandchild, it has emerged.

Avril Dempster, from Ahoghill, who was in her 50s, was involved in a two-vehicle collision on Tuesday night on the Lisnevenagh Road between Antrim and Ballymena shortly before 8.45pm.

Owner of the Ahoghill shop, Tom Graham, said “staff and customers are in total shock today”.

“Avril had worked here for seven years,” he said. “She was hard working and very family orientated. She was on her way back from the hospital after seeing her latest grandchild when the accident happened.

“In work on Tuesday she had been talking about the baby and was looking forward to going up to see the baby girl. She was all excited about that.”

Mr Graham said Mrs Dempster had been popular on the deli counter in the store “where everyone knew her”.

“She served customers their breakfasts and lunches and there were a lot of shocked people in here today,” he said.

“People are trying to come to terms with it.”

Mrs Dempster had been driving a Ford which collided with a BMW car. A PSNI spokesman said the driver of the BMW was taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.

The Ballymena Times facebook page has been flooded with messages of sympathy and tributes to Mrs. Dempster.

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