From Hook Herald

TRIBUTES have poured in for three members of the same Farnham family killed in a horrific car crash in the Cayman Islands.

Husband and wife Ian and Pamela Mansell, described by friends as the “life and soul of the party”, and Pamela’s sister Marlene Wright died after their Kia Rio hire car was hit head-on by a Honda Accord shortly after 7pm on Tuesday, May 2.

The fatal crash happened in the East End area of the island just minutes from the holiday-makers’ hotel, and came just days after Ian, Pamela and Marlene had arrived in the Caribbean.

The 22-year-old Jamaican driver of the Honda was also killed in the crash, which local police have described as the “worst ever” on Cayman’s roads.

Two additional passengers thought to be travelling in the open boot of the Honda, aged 11 and 26, were seriously injured but survived.

Ian, 72, and Pamela, 74, from Dockenfield, and Marlene, 68, from Liphook, were staying at Morrit’s Tortuga Club on the east coast of Grand Cayman, where they had stayed on numerous previous visits to the island.

Both Ian and Pamela were active members of the Dockenfield community, having lived in the village for 25 years, and were long-time members of the Rotary Club of Farnham Weyside and its sister Inner Wheel club.

Club president Chris Foss said: “The news that Ian, Pam and her sister were killed while on holiday in the Cayman Islands was a great shock to all of us.

“Ian was a valued member of the club since he joined 16 years ago, and has been involved in many of the club’s activities to raise funds for local and international projects. He will be sorely missed.

“Ian and Pam regularly took part in the club’s social activities – in fact, they were usually the life and soul of the party. They enjoyed music and were active in village life. Their many friends in the club will remember them with great affection.”

Michael Foster, editor of the Dockenfield Newsletter, added the village has been left in shock by the tragic news.

“Pamela and Ian were well known and much loved in the community and played a big part in village life,” he said. “Most residents struggled to process the news as it was so sudden, so unexpected and so tragic.”

The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on New Year’s Eve 2016 with a big party at The Bluebell pub in the village, and before leaving for the Cayman Islands were also planning Marlene’s 70th birthday celebration in June.

Prior to retirement, Ian enjoyed a successful career as an IT consultant and ran his own business solutions company for many years, while, as a health professional, Pamela served for many years on the General Medical Council and the Health and Care Professions Council.

Mr Foster continued: “Pamela and Ian used to love to dance, were always first on the dance floor, loved to party and adored live music.

“But most of all they loved to travel, spending a lot of time abroad both in the Caribbean and their real passion of going on safari, especially in southern Africa.

“More often than not the three of them travelled together as a family. All three had a huge interest in wildlife and Marlene was a talented wildlife artist.”

Pamela had been a member of the Dockenfield Activities Committee for many years, responsible for running Dockenfield Day and the village Christmas party, and both she and her husband were heavily involved in other village celebrations and fund raising.

They also had a keen interest in gardening and were members of the parish horticultural society.

Roly Miles on behalf of the Dockenfield Activities Committee said: “Pamela was always full of enthusiasm and brought along great new ideas to the table. She was a very bubbly character, always smiling and happy to listen to your ideas, and Ian, for his part, was a very active helper for the activities committee.

“They will be so, so sorely missed by everyone. By those who have known them for many happy years, as well as those who are newer to the village, and saw them as a true pillar of our community and a truly inspirational couple.”

An employee of the Morritt’s Club resort where the trio were staying, Marlene Platt, also paid tribute to the couple: “’It’s pretty much traumatised everyone at the resort. Mr and Mrs Mansell had been coming here for a while. I’ve known them since 2006 – they were not only guests to us but more like family, it’s very sad.”

According to The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Honda that hit the tourists’ hire car was seen by a patrol car driving above the speed limit just moments before the fatal crash. Police have denied there was a police pursuit.

Several conch shells were also found in the Honda following the crash and it is believed the men were in the water taking conch before the accident. Conch shell fishing season is understood to run until April 30 – two days before the crash.

Chief Inspector Frank Owens from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said: “’A police vehicle was travelling towards East End when the black Honda Accord travelling in the opposite direction towards George Town was recorded on police mobile radar travelling at excessive speed.

“The single-crewed police vehicle stopped, activated the blue lights and on turning around the Honda Accord was out of sight, a short time later the police officer came upon the vehicle collision, there was no police pursuit.”

Ian and Pamela had no children, but a spokesman for the Cayman police confirmed that a next-of-kin for the deceased has been located, adding the authorities are “in the process of fulfilling procedures to conduct post-mortems and repatriation”.

IMAGE:Ian and Pamela Mansell. (Photo: The Rotary Club of Farnham Weyside)

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