First picture of girl, 3, killed after horse-drawn carriage crashes into truck

Tributes have been paid to a three-year-old girl killed after her horse-drawn cart was struck by a tipper truck, killing her father and critically injuring her mother.

Ka Connors, 3, was sitting inbetween her mother Rita and father Francie as they rode the pony and trap on the A228 near Tonbridge, Kent at 6.25pm on Wednesday.

The carriage was struck by a white DAF tipper truck being driven on the southbound carriageway in the same direction.

The driver has been arrested after the crash between the junctions of Bandridges Road and Hale Street.

The pony was killed at the scene.

The 29-year-old driver of the truck is still in police custody.

Celebrity Big Brother winner Paddy Doherty led tributes to the members of his extended family.

He said: ‘Listen to this travesty. A cousin of mine went for a drive on a back road.

‘He’s driving his cart down the road with his wife and his little child in the middle.

‘They are driving along and out comes a juggernaut and runs into him.

‘Kills the horse, kills young Francie and kills the little baby, 3 years of age.

‘The mum is critically ill in hospital. They brought her in a helicopter to another hospital for brain surgery. Please see it in your heart and soul and pray she pulls through it.

‘She still has three little boys but her husband is dead. The girl is a little princess.

‘I pray to God that he will leave the mother behind.

‘I hope the police get to the bottom of it.’

Kent Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone who saw the truck, or the pony and trap before the crash to contact 101.

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