The owner of a well known Newry-based competitions company who reached out to offer financial assistance to the owner of a damaged vehicle – forcefully overturned in Portrush – will now instead benefit a Moira-based animal rescue charity.
The car in question is understood to have suffered mostly cosmetic damage to one side after it was toppled by a group of men in the Eglinton Street area of the seaside town late on Sunday evening (April 20).
The incident was recorded on video – which shows the yellow car being rocked up onto two wheels and tipped onto its side – and has since gone viral across various social media platforms.
Like many, Mark Weir – owner of R Kings Competitions – saw the online clip and felt immediately compelled to help the owner of the vehicle.
Speaking to Armagh I, he said: “The way I pictured was, if it was my mum or dad’s car or my granny’s – someone’s hard-earned money bought that car and maybe it’s their daily driver – it wouldn’t be nice on them. I just wanted to help with it being fixed.”
Mark put out an online appeal to help track the owner of the car and social media answered.
He said: “The owner actually got in contact with me. He was more concerned with the people being caught and facing justice rather than anything. He said he’s OK with the car.”
Mark explained that the owner had bought the car more or less as a ‘run-around’ and “didn’t care for it to be fixed”.
But having made the offer, Mark still had a hankering to do something positive. Instead of money for repair work he asked the man to name a charity of his choosing to benefit from the funds.
The owner chose Almost Home Animal Rescue in Moira and Mark will soon be making a donation in the vehicle owner’s name.
Police have since been informed of the incident in Portrush and are treating the matter as “criminal damage”.
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police are aware of a video on social media of criminal damage to a yellow coloured vehicle, which is believed to have occurred at the Eglinton Street area of Portrush and are currently making enquiries.
“Anyone with any information in relation to this incident, is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 597 21/04/25. Alternatively, you can submit a report online using our non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/“.
