Parents' worst nightmare

Dad arrived at scene & held his girl in her final moments. Pals Kiea & Dlava had party at house before going to Debs

- PAUL HEALY

THE father of one of the teenage girls killed in a crash on the way to their Debs held her in his arms as she passed away, it emerged last night.

Kiea McCann, 17, and 16-year-old Dlava Mohammed died when the car they were travelling in collided with a tree.

The best friends lost their lives just outside Clones, Co Monaghan, on Monday evening.

It has emerged Kiea's dad Frankie held her in his arms as her life slipped away. It is understood he came upon the crash mot long after the impact and held his daughter as emergency services rushed to the scene.

The Largy College students were on their way to the Debs party in a nearby hotel.

They were killed when the vehicle left the road in what gardai suspect were treacherous wet conditions.

Kiea's parents told how their daughter and her friends had gathered for a party in their home. It was shortly before they went off to enjoy what was supposed to be a major milestone in their young lives.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Frankie said: "There was great excitement in the house before they went out.

"We had food and Champagne and balloons and it was going to be a great night.

Her mother Teresa added Kiea and Dlava had been best friends for years. She said: "She was great to everybody.

"It will be hard on all the young people. Hard on all the friends."

The driver, who is in his 60s, is a friend who offered them a lift. He and another teenage girl were also left in a critical condition in hospital.