Tragic rugby star Nevin’s sister ‘risked life’ in slurry tank rescue bid

Rising Ulster star Nevin, 22, his father Noel, 58, and brother Graham, 30, were overcome by fumes.
But Nevin's brave sister Emma, 28, repeatedly risked her own life in a bid to save them.
Artist Emma twice climbed into a manhole and then down into the slurry tank on the family farm near Hillsborough, Co Down, Northern Ireland, in her rescue attempts.

Her brother Graham first lowered a ladder into the manhole to try to retrieve a pet dog, according to Edwin Poots, a friend and neighbour.
Graham’s father then went in to try to save his son and he was followed by Nevin when he realised the other two were in danger.
Emma then went down and managed to pull her father on to the ladder. She was assisted by neighbours and they tried to resuscitate him.
Emma went back a second time and found Graham in the tank lying in up to 3ft of slurry.

But she was overcome by the odourless fumes and had to be pulled free by frantic neighbours who ran to the tank after hearing the calls for help.
Details of Emma's dramatic rescue efforts emerged as relatives and friends prepared for the funerals of the three men in Ballynahinch, Co Down.
Mr Poots, a health minister in the Northern Ireland Executive, said: “Emma risked her own life to try and save her father and brothers.
"Physically I don’t know how she managed it because her dad is a big man. With the weight of the slurry and so on, she needed to muster unbelievable strength to get him pulled up.

AnAnd then she went back in again, risking her life a second time. It is maybe some comfort to the family she didn't lose her life.
"She was incredibly brave.”
Health and safety experts are carrying out an investigation into Saturday’s tragedy.