By CAROLYN CHURCHILL
TWO communities were in mourning yesterday after teenage cousins were killed in a car crash in which another relative was also injured.
Cassie Menzies, 18, from Cumnock, and Laura Mitchell, 19, from New Cumnock, in Ayrshire both died after the car being driven by Cassie’s sister, Isla, 22, smashed into a parked lorry.
The three were taken to Ayr Hospital, but the two younger women died shortly after they were admitted on Wednesday evening. Isla was yesterday in a “stable” condition.
The accident happened at around 8.15pm on the busy A76 from Kilmarnock to Dumfries, on the outskirts of Cumnock. The 54-year- old driver of the lorry was not injured.
Friends of the girls yesterday left floral tributes at the site, which had been temporarily closed after the crash until emergency services cleared the wreckage.
Cassie, whose father, Barney Menzies, is a councillor for Cumnock and New Cumnock, had a one-year-old daughter Dannii and Laura was weeks away from starting a university degree course in nursing.
Both families were last night being comforted by friends and relatives and were too upset to speak about the tragedy. Friends of the teenagers paid tribute to the girls on their personal web pages.
Writing on her Bebo page, Paul Kerr, the father of Cassie’s daughter, said: “I can’t believe this is what it comes to, it’s the only way of contacting you I can find right now.
“I’m just glad the last time we were together we got on so well and we even took Dannii out a walk without her buggy, hand in hand in hand.
“I’ll miss laughing with you, your smile and your ability to always make things work out. Thankfully I have your spitting image at a year and a half and growing. I won’t let her forget you, don’t worry. We’ll meet again, you will always have my love.”
Laura, who had recently returned from a holiday in Tenerife, had taken a year out before starting training at Paisley University to fulfil her dream of becoming a psychiatric nurse.
She worked at the Spar store in New Cumnock and Ann Armour, who worked with her, said she was a “caring” girl who would be sadly missed.
“There was never a dull moment with Laura, she was a real character, ” she said. “She was a bubbly young girl. It’s hard to take in what has happened or to imagine that she won’t be coming back into the shop.”
Writing on Laura’s Bebo page, Leanne Heron said: “You were the best friend I ever had. I will never forget you and will treasure the memories you gave me dearly.
Thank you for everything. I love you and will never forget you. Sweet dreams.”
On Cassie’s page, she added: “The only thing that gives me comfort in all of this isto know that you and Laura are there together. Dannii will always know what a great mum she had and I know you will be looking down on her, proud as always.”
Councillor Iain Linton, depute leader of East Ayrshire Council, expressed the shock felt by the communities of Cumnock and New Cumnock, the ward represented by Mr Menzies. He said: “Barney is a respected member of the council. He is also a devoted family man and this tragic accident is a terrible blow.
“Everyone at East Ayrshire Council is shocked and saddened and we send Barney and his extended family our condolences. This terrible accident has touched the lives of many people and they are all in our thoughts.”
Strathclyde Police appealed for witnesses to the crash to come forward.
(c) 2007 Herald, The; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
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