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THREE benches have been erected on Pannal Green in memory of three teenage boys from Harrogate who were killed in a car collision at the beginning of this year.
The Pannal community raised just over £3000 for the purchase of the benches which feature their own plaques dedicated to the boys. The benches are situated on Pannal Green as this is where these three young men spent their childhood playing football and spending time with their friends and family.
Craig Rayiru(19) and Joseph Wilson(18) were killed instantly in a horrific car accident on the 27th January of this year. They were on their way to a football match in a Citreon Saxo on the A661 near Spofforth. The car was involved in a head on collision with a Skoda Felicia driven by Howard Catley(49) who was rushed to hospital with serious injuries but later passed away. Daniel Rayiru(17) brother of Craig remained in intensive care with traumatic head injuries for seven days before his parents decided it would be best to turn off his life support. He passed away six days after his 17th birthday.
A neighbour Pat Ainslie said “The boys were a big part of the Pannal community. They were several people’s paper boys, and we had watched them grow up from boys to young men. When the accident occurred the whole of Pannal was in mourning at such a loss. These benches are a tribute to their lives and a place to go for friends and family to remember the boys. As well as the benches we want to have fairy lights strung up in the trees to light them up.”
The families of the boys are said to be ‘touched and grateful’ for all the support that the Pannal community has offered. Over the past few months that have been going through a difficult time, with one family losing two sons. Louise Rayiru commented that “It’s nice to see that people care and are pulling together and offering us support at this extremely difficult time.”
The inquest of this case will be held next Tuesday at Harrogate magistrate’s courts.

Tiffany Jackson