Boxing club warning over scramblers after two youngsters 'very lucky to be alive'

"They're up talking, drifting in and out of sleep. They are in for their operations in the morning. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts for them."

Prayers are being offered for two "very lucky boys" who have been hospitalised following a serious collision on Wednesday night.

The two boys have been named locally as members of Sacred Heart Boxing Club who say they are "very lucky to be alive".

It follows a crash involving a scrambler and a car on the Cliftonville Road. in Belfast

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The Cliftonville Road was closed in both directions with police and ambulance crews on site. Translink said Metro services in the area were also affected as a result.

In an update on social media, the boxing club said: "Two of our boxers are very lucky to be alive tonight. They have their legs and hands in plaster paris cast. Two very lucky boys.

"They're up talking, drifting in and out of sleep. They are in for their operations in the morning. Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts for them."

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 6:12pm on Wednesday (January 3) after reports of a road traffic collision involving a motorcycle and a car in the area.

An NIAS spokesperson said: “NIAS dispatched two emergency crews to the incident. The HEMS [Helicopter Emergency Medical Service] team was also tasked to attend by car.

“Following assessment, and initial treatment at the scene, two patients have since been taken by ambulance to Royal Victoria Hospital.“

A spokesperson for the PSNI said: "Police received a report of a two vehicle road traffic collision at the Cliftonville Road area of North Belfast this evening, Wednesday 3rd January.

"Two males were taken to hospital for their injuries following the incident. The road, which was closed during the incident, has since reopened."

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