A heartbroken man has shared the devastating moment he lost his wife after she was struck by an illegal scrambler while walking her dogs in a forest park, as part of a new campaign to eradicate the illegal ‘scourge’.
In July 2016, Seamus Armstrong was enjoying a day off work in his back garden when he heard his name being frantically called out by neighbours from across the street. His wife Valerie had just left to walk the dogs before the family were due to go out for dinner, with Seamus’ neighbours urging him to rush to Colin Glen Forest Park.
Upon reaching the scene in west Belfast, he witnessed paramedics desperately trying to save his wife before she was rushed to hospital. Tragically, despite the surgeons’ best efforts, Valerie couldn’t be saved and Seamus was faced with the heartbreaking task of telling his children that their mum wouldn’t be coming home.
Seamus recalled: “It was one of my days off work, I had been in the back garden looking after the kids. It was quite sunny and warm and we had the wee swimming pool filled up and the kids had a couple of their wee friends round and were lal messing about in the pool. I had decided I was going to make a wee greenhouse out of some wood and glass that I had got together.”
Seamus then detailed his last moments with his wife, adding: “Valerie was on morning shift in work and due home around 4pm or so. I was out the back, Valerie arrived home and helped me put a few pieces together then decided she wanted to take the dog on a walk. I decided also we were all going to go out for dinner that night, and when I said the dog had already been for a walk and to go have a cup of tea, she said no I’m gonna have a walk and a shower and then go out for dinner.
“I said OK, I’ll get the kids out of the pool and have them ready for when you get back. Within half an hour I heard neighbours across the street screaming my name and I looked over the fence and they said Seamus you need to go round to the forest, it’s Valerie.
“I could see two or three, what was actually four paramedics working on her on the ground.”
He continued: “I got brought up to a seperate room where surgeons came and sat me down and said Mr Armstrong your wife’s injuries are terminal there’s nothing we can do that will save her. We have three different surgeons and have seen injuries of this magnitude before in previous cases and nobody comes back from it.
“I had to go home the next day and tell our kids that mummy wasn’t coming back from the hospital. I didn’t take them down to see her when she was in ICU, I didn’t want that to be the last memory of their mum, hooked up to wires and pipes.”
Seamus’ testimony is part of a new video aimed at tackling illegal scrambler use in Belfast that has been created by members of Colin Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) in partnership with community representatives, youth services and schools , reports Belfast Live.
It forms part of Op CHICQUER, which was launched by the policing team, which as had that so far it has seen positive results with a reduction in scrambler-related incidents, not only in West Belfast but across the City, with a 29.8 per cent reduction in incidents seen from 2023/2024 to 2024/2025.
The PSNI say Op CHICQUER demonstrates the effectiveness of community engagement and youth education through the provision of safe scrambling courses.
It is believed 70 per cent of illegal scrambler offenders are aged 12-18.
Colin Glen NPT officer Constable William Kingsberry said: “The video outlines the intensive work we have conducted under Op CHICQUER over the past two years in an attempt to address and provide safe alternatives to illegal street scrambling in West Belfast.”
Annie Armstrong of the Colin Neighbourhood Partnership comments: “Colin Neighbourhood Partnership have, for many years, been highlighting the dangers of scramblers and other motorized vehicles in the hands of those who are not trained, insured, and not wearing the protective equipment necessary to ensure they remain safe.
“We are genuinely concerned that more members of our community could become victims of this illegal activity. We again appeal to parents and those that are involved to consider the undeniable consequences if an innocent person in our community dies or is seriously injured because of this dangerous activity.”
Last summer, the team ran a nine-week programme with Cornerstone Off-Road Motorcycle Academy to educate 18 “at risk” youths on road safety.
They contacted landowners who were affected by the activity, developed a criminal justice strategy and a social media campaign which led to the printing of leaflets/posters and pull up signs.
After consultation and partnership working with local schools, youth centres, businesses and community groups – including Colin Neighbourhood Partnership – several thousand leaflets were distributed locally and the posters and signs were displayed in prominent places throughout the Colin area.
West Belfast Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey said that parents need to take responsibility in helping to end the “scourge” of illegal scrambler use.
He said following the launch of the new safety video: “This shows the consequences that illegal scrambler use can have. Seamaus, who tragically lost his wife, showed the impact of this and I know it would have been difficult for him to speak about it.
“This is a scourge in our community, a scourge on our roads and a scourge to pedestrians and it is a problem right across the city that is not isolated to West Belfast.”