Community rallies round family after sister dies in balcony fall
TWO sisters have been overwhelmed by the support they've received following the death of their sister in Singapore.
Sarah Royle, who lived in Hebden Bridge until 18 months ago, sustained multiple injuries when she plunged from a balcony only hours after celebrating England's World Cup win over Slovenia.
Her sisters, Johanna, 35, and Premsa, 32, who both live in Todmorden, flew out to be by her bedside after donations of over 4,000 were received within hours of them taking the phone call from the hospital in Singapore.
Despite doctors' best efforts during six hours of surgery the 31-year-old's life support machine was turned off on Sunday morning.
The two sisters were then forced to make the agonising decision to return home on Tuesday without Sarah after learning the insurance company may not foot the estimated 10,000 bill to fly her body home or the hospital bills, which could run into thousands more.
Since hearing the tragic news friends and the wider communities of Hebden Bridge, Todmorden and Mytholmroyd have campaigned to raise money to help the two sisters with medical and travel expenses.
As of yesterday over 8,000 had been raised but more will be needed.
The British Embassy will keep Sarah's body for seven days but a decision needs to be made by this Saturday as to whether she is to be brought home. Jo and Premsa have sought the help of Calder Valley MP, Craig Whittaker.
Friends of the family set up a stall in Hebden Bridge market yesterday and have been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of items donated by members of the community.
The stall will be running in the former Hebden Bridge fire station today (Thursday).
On Saturday, July 3, from 8.30pm, there will be an auction at the Cross Inn, Heptonstall, with dozens of items on offer, including boxing gloves signed by Barry McGuigan, lessons for piano, flute, horse riding and driving, event tickets, meals and accommodation, among others.
Julia Curtis, of Banksfield Road, Mytholmroyd, has known the three sisters for nearly 20 years, following their move to the Calder Valley from Manchester. She said Jo and Premsa were heartbroken. Having lost both their parents the three sisters were very close.
"The amount of money that we've raised just indicates the number of friends the family has. Sarah would have been blown away by all this support.
"We need to keep the money coming in as even if they can't bring her body home there will be considerable expenses to pay. If the insurance doesn't pay out and we can't raise the money to get her body back they will arrange to have Sarah cremated and the ashes sent over."
A statement issued on behalf of the family said that it is believed Sarah had fallen from a second floor balcony of a residential property. Nobody saw her fall.
"Sarah's friend confirmed that she was using a camera on the night out," said the statement. "Police have the camera and are waiting for the pictures to be developed, which may shed some more light on Sarah's last movements. It is very possible that Sarah climbed the balcony to take a photograph. If the moon looked pretty it could very well be something she would do."
Floral tributes have been left in St George's Square, for the former Calder High School pupil, who left her home in Hebden Bridge 18 months ago to live and work in Australia. She travelled to Singapore only two weeks before the fall, which is still being investigated by the police.
There will be a private gathering for friends and family at 7.30pm on Saturday, at the White Lion, in Hebden Bridge.
A bank account has also been set up at the Halifax for donations, with the sort code 110001 and account number 08872709.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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