Tributes to car crash victim

A PIPE fitter who died after being hit by a car was “admired and respected” by everyone who knew him, friends said today.

John Carrigan, 54, of South Gyle Road, died in hospital following the accident in Corstorphine High Street on Tuesday evening.

He suffered serious head injuries following the collision, involving a blue Toyota MR2.

Mr Carrigan had been at the Manse Snooker Club on Manse Road shortly before the accident occurred at around 6pm.

Club director Brian McKeown told the News: “Grown men were crying in the club last night when they found out.

“The atmosphere was one of disbelief – everybody was deeply in mourning.”

Mr Carrigan had been in the snooker club since about 4pm. As Mr McKeown was preparing to leave the club, Mr Carrigan’s wife Elizabeth phoned and arrangements were made for her to pick him up.

“John must have said to her ‘just meet me on the High Street so you don’t have to go along the one-way system’,” said Mr McKeown.

“He finished his pint and walked about 50 yards up to the High Street.

“As he was crossing the road near Orchardfield Avenue the accident happened.”

Members of the club said that shortly afterwards, Mrs Carrigan had come in to the snooker club looking for her husband.

“Someone said he had just left a couple of minutes before, and she replied that someone had been run down just around the corner. That’s when she discovered it had been John.”

Emergency services were unable to save Mr Carrigan, who died at the Western General Hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning having sustained head injuries.

Mr McKeown said: “John was the very last person I spoke to as I walked out of the snooker club that day.

“I had no knowledge of the accident until someone phoned me that evening to tell me what had happened.

“I’ve known him as a member of the club since 1995. It was where he would come and relax, he would come most days and have a couple drinks after work.

“He was a well-liked guy and funny, with a dry sense of humour.

“He was admired and respected by everyone who knew him.”

Mr Carrigan is survived by his wife Elizabeth, 54, and daughters Donna, 33, and Debbie, 32.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: “At the time of the incident the area would have been busy with pedestrians, and we want anyone who witnessed the collision, which happened close to the Corstorphine Inn, to contact police immediately.”

Anyone with any information should contact police on 0131-311 3131 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.