A Claudy family has been left devastated by the tragic death of their six year-old twin boy on a family holiday in Portugal.
It's understood that little Nathan Sharkey died after an accident on Wednesday while on holiday with his parents and twin brother.
Claudy SDLP Councillor Brenda Stevenson said she'd been told that Nathan, a pupil of Foyle View School in Derry, die
d in an accident involving water.
Colr Stevenson, who knew Nathan personally from her work at the school, said his death had sent shockwaves throughout the Co Derry village.
Describing Nathan as bright and bubbly, she said: "You can feel the raw grief in the village, everyone is absolutely devastated. There is a feeling 'has this actually happened?'."
Colr Stevenson said Nathan was understood to have been involved in the accident just one day into the family holiday and was pronounced dead yesterday (Thursday).
She said Nathan was a typical six year-old.
"His death will be a huge loss to his family and the community. He was a lovely little boy."
Colr Stevenson said that villagers would lend their support to his family.
"It is terrible this has happened, especially when the family was on holiday and were supposed to be relaxing. They went away as a family unit and now their lives have been thrown into disarray."
