Shropshire Star

Minsterley toddler tragedy: Fund set up to help Stelios's family

A new mum is hoping that the kindness of strangers will help a young Shropshire family hit by tragedy.

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Stelios Karsas

Stelios Karsas was killed just before Christmas in an accident outside his father's fish and chip shop in Minsterley, near Shrewsbury.

The 19-month-old died despite the efforts of the emergency services and passers-by after being hit by a car.

Sarah Stephenson, from Bishops Castle, was so moved by the tragedy that she decided to set up a crowdfunding page to raise money for the Karsas family.

Inspired by her sister-in-law Kate MacKenzie, landlady of The Mytton Arms at Habberley, Sarah set herself a target of £2,500 which she hopes will help pay for the funeral costs.

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The 34-year-old said: "I have a six-month-old daughter called Maisie and could not imagine what this family is going through.

"I do not know them but the story of what happened just before Christmas really upset me.

"They have had to close their business and who knows when and if it will reopen. There will be funeral costs, living costs and other outgoings and if the money we raise can go towards that then we have helped.

"I can not begin to imagine how difficult it would be for them.

"Everybody spends so much at Christmas and in the sales in the New Year and if they could even donate £1 to this appeal it will make a big difference to that family.

"My sister-in-law had a donation box on the bar in her pub and it got me thinking I should do something too.

Friends fish and chip shop in Minsterley

"No amount of money will ever replace little Stelios, nor will it help Stelios's family get over what happened that day.

"However I would like to think that what we can do, as a community is pull together to raise some funds to help relieve some of the financial pressure and burden that the Karsas family may be experiencing at this very difficult time."

Stelios died at the scene of the accident which happened outside the Friends Fish and Chip Shop on Station Road in Minsterley at just before 11am on December 21.

He was hit by a Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4 believed to have been driven by his father, who is also called Stelios.

An inquest in to the toddler's death opened last week and a full hearing will take place on March 27.

West Mercia Police have appealed for witnesses to the incident. Anyone with information can call 101, quoting incident number 245s of December 21.

To see the crowdfunding page visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/karsas