Saturday, 18 December 2010
A Londonderry father has died from suspected hypothermia after he was found lying on the doorstep of a farmhouse in freezing conditions.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Richard McClean, whose body was found near Boom Hall on Thursday morning.
Post-mortem findings are not yet known, but it is thought Mr McClean, from Shantallow, died from hypothermia following a night out at a city centre club.
His body was found by Patrick McCloskey, who farms the land near Boom Hall where Mr McClean worked.
Describing Mr McClean as “a very good fella”, Mr McCloskey added: “I found him just before 10 o'clock. I was going to get feed and saw a red thing lying outside the house. I looked closer and thought ‘Oh God, that's a man in a red T-shirt'.
“I didn't know it was Richard. Even though he helps me out here all the time and I know him well, it took a long time before I realised who it actually was.
“I was thinking someone's going to be very sad this Christmas, not knowing at the time how close the person was to me.
“He always came down here to help me on the farm, as other young people do from time to time. He told me he was going to buy his own pony this summer and I said there would be no problem in finding the animal a place to live on the farm. He'll never get to do that now.”
The alarm was raised by Mr McClean's partner Caiomhe, who went to his mother Jacqueline's home in Drumleck Drive to tell her that her son had failed to come home after a night out.
Councillor for the area Shaun Gallagher said the local community will rally around the family to help them get over the terrible tragedy.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” he said.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious, but they have appealed for information as to how Mr McClean ended up at the farmhouse.
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