The sister of a rising rugby star killed with his father and brother in a slurry tank accident has been released from hospital. Emma Spence, the sister of Ulster Rugby’s Nevin Spence, dived into the manure container, on the family farm in Hillsborough, Co Down, in a bid to help her father and two brothers after they fell in. But all four were overcome by the poisonous fumes and were unconscious by the time rescuers arrived to pull them out. Ms Spence, an acclaimed artist, was discharged from Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital last night as relatives revealed that the three men died trying to save each other.
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Nevin Spence, 22, and brother Graham were overcome by fumes as they tried to rescue their father Noel on farm in Co. Down, Northern Ireland
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Sister Emma, who also got into difficulty, was trying to save them when she was overcome by fumes
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A book of condolence is to be opened today at Ulster Rugby’s Ravenhill ground in Belfast
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Family: 'The three men were very close to each other in life, and that love was expressed in their final moments trying to help one another'
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Sportsmen Rory McIlroy and Barry McGuigan pay tribute to the rugby player
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Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson 'deeply saddened' by tragedy
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Spence played for Ulster and represented Ireland at under-20 level
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Ulster Rugby: 'Nevin was a wonderful player but also a wonderful person'
In May he was selected for the @placeholder squad ahead of a match