Archie York, aged just seven, died after an explosion at his home in Newcastle- now a man has appeared in court on the same day the tragic youngster’s Marvel themed funeral was held
A seven-year-old boy who tragically died in an explosion at his home was laid to rest in a coffin draped with Marvel comic characters on the day a man appeared in court charged with his manslaughter.
Archie York died when a huge blast ripped through houses on Violet Close in Benwell, Newcastle, on October 16. On the same day as he was buried, Reece Galbraith, 33, denied the manslaughter of Archie and Jason “Jay” Laws, 35, who also died in the explosion in the early hours of the morning.
Appearing at Newcastle Crown Court via a videolink, he also denied producing cannabis and a charge of supplying the class B drug from April 15 to October 17 last year. Galbraith, from Gateshead, was told his trial, expected to last seven days, will begin on May 12.
Mourners gathered at Newcastle’s West Road Crematorium to say goodbye to Archie, who was a pupil at Benwell’s Bridgewater Primary School. A large crowd gathered outside the chapel to pay their respects to the little boy with some wearing Marvel-themed clothing at Archie’s family’s request.
Mourners stood in silence as the youngster’s coffin was carried into the crematorium grounds in a white carriage pulled by two grey horses. His small coffin was covered in Marvel comic characters while each horse wore a blanket bearing Archie’s name, one with a picture of Spiderman on and another with The Hulk.
A toy car and figure had been placed on top of the coffin along with a helmet, while a heart-shaped bouquet with a Marvel logo and a sash saying the word “brother” were placed beside it. Archie’s coffin was then carried into the chapel for the service, led by humanist Tracy Heron, reported ChronicleLive.
Flowers spelling the words “son” and “grandson” were also carried on top of the carriage. While two Northumbria Police horses stood outside the crematorium gates as a mark of respect to Archie. A bus from Bridgewater Primary School brought a number of mourners to the crematorium.
Archie’s parents, Katherine Errington and Robbie York have previously paid tribute to their little boy, who had become a big brother just weeks before he died. In a statement they said: “Archie was not only our son but our best friend. He lit up every room he went in, whether that was with his cheeky smile he was known for or some of his cheeky words.
“We are so broken as a family but Archie will live on in his baby brother Finley who is the spitting image of him. He might have been small but he had a heart of gold, everyone loved him. Archie knows he will be in our hearts forever and always.”
