Barford Tragedy
A village united in grief

By Kevin Unitt 15/05 Updated: 15/05 11:47

Buy photos » The flag flies at half mast at St Peters Church Barford as a mark of respect. 20.012.017.leam.jm5

BARFORD village is united in shock and disbelief over the deaths.

Polly Bonner-Evans, a mother who lives a few doors down from the Mynott's and whose house also backs onto the river, told the paper: “We are all just devastated. I was in the garden when it happened and heard a commotion and my children wanted to get on the river and try to help but the currents were too strong.

"There's such a feeling on powerlessness but we all rallied round as best we could, making hot drinks for the emergency services who all worked flat out at the scene.

“The Mynotts were and are such wonderful people and this tragedy has not just hit the village but also all those people elsewhere who knew and loved them.”

Barford St Peter's Church held a special service of remembrance on Sunday (May 13) and its flag is currently flying at half mast.

Maggie Hayward, a long-standing Barford parish councillor, said: “There was very full congregation, everyone just so shocked and stunned. It is so hard to believe it could happen.

“Neighbours saw them so happy on the river and then 15 minutes later it was tragedy.

“The river has known tragedy before. One of the first tasks my husband Chris carried out as a GP when we moved here in the 1970s was to certify the death of a young boy in a canoeing accident on the river. Chris died two years ago but we were lucky to have 49 years together, so I cannot begin to imagine what it is like for this family. It is just appalling.

“They were such a lovely family who had spent so long getting their wonderful house renovated and looking forward to their life here but now it has all crumbled away. I can't imagine how anyone could cope with that."

A statement from Mark Turner, headmaster at Warwick Preparatory School, read: "We are aware of the tragic incident at Barford which involved a family with children who attend schools in the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation (which is made up of Warwick School, Warwick Preparatory School and King's High School for girls).

"This is clearly a very distressing incident and we send our condolences to all those involved and our thanks to the emergency and medical services for all that they did and continue to do."