16 year-old girl dies in a sledding accident

5:39pm UK, Wednesday February 04, 2009
The family of a gifted student who died in a high-speed sledging accident have paid tribute to a "beautiful and popular young woman".



Francesca Anobile: Family say she was set for an outstanding academic career

They described 16-year-old Francesca Anobile as witty and intelligent "with everything to live for".

In a statement released through South Yorkshire Police, the family said: "She was set for an outstanding academic career and had an unbelievable work ethic."

Witnesses have described the crash in which Francesca and three other girls hurtled down a hill on a sled made from a car roof.

They smashed through a fence containing barbed wire at Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Tuesday afternoon.

Jules McKay told Sky News: "I realised there was something wrong the minute they were coming down the hill because they were flying.

"At the speed they were doing it was impossible to jump out of the car roof.

"They screamed 'get out of the way' and then there was silence.

"I was hoping the fence would slow them down but the speed was tremendous - it just sliced straight through it.


Francesca's Facebook picture

"One girl, who unfortunately lost her life, was catapulted from it. The others went on and hit another fence.

"Everybody expected they were going to get up but three or four seconds passed and there was no movement whatsoever."

Company director Jonathan Turner said: "The sledge came past us at massive speed. It must have been doing 50mph.

"I started fighting to get my phone out of my pocket at that stage - it was obvious what was going to happen.

"It hit a wire fence first and smashed through that and then carried on into a wooden fence which separates the slope from the river."

"The whole thing was just horrific - the worst thing I have ever seen," Mr Turner told the Sheffield Star.

Francesca, from Mosborough, Sheffield, was airlifted to the Northern General Hospital with suspected serious head injuries.

Police named another of the victims as Nikki Burns, also 16 and from Sheffield, who is being treated at the city's Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

The other girls - described by emergency services as "walking wounded" - were taken to Rotherham District General Hospital.

Francesca was described as a star pupil, expected to study at Oxbridge.

She had achieved 15 GCSEs, all at Grade A or A*, and was working on her gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. She was also a top sports all-rounder.

The park is owned by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and is one of the biggest country parks in the area, developed on a 300-hectare site once used for opencast coal mining.

Police are investigating what happened and liaising with park rangers and the Health and Safety Executive.

**********************************************************************************


What a terrible tragic accident. What a sad loss of life - a beautiful, talented girl....
Just friends having fun in the snow and this accident happens. Her poor family.

RIP Francesca x

RIP Francesca..my thoughts are with your family and friends.

What a tragedy. Rest in peace

I hope the young girl in hospital recovers soon

R I P

RIP