A stretch of a north road was closed yesterday as the loved ones of a family-of-four killed in a crash made a heartbreaking visit to the scene.
Gemma and Rhys Cousin, along with three-year-old daughter Peyton and one-year-old Heidi, died in a collision near the Nevis Range turn off of the A82 Inverness to Glasgow road.
Mrs Cousin, 26, and Mr Cousin, 25, married in 2015 and were described as “totally devoted” parents by their extended family, who said the tragedy was “utterly devastating”.
A stretch of the A82 was closed for a spell yesterday afternoon, as grieving relatives paid their respects at the scene of the incident.
By last night, an online fundraiser started by the family had amassed about £12,000 to cover funeral costs.
A statement on the website described the mum and dad from Inverness as a “fun, crazy loving couple who adored each other so much”.
It added: “Their family became three on the 7th of January 2017 when Peyton was brought into the world. Peyton then became a big sister to Heidi on the 22nd of December 2018.
“Two beautiful princesses completed their family and those girls were their world.
“They were all kind and happy individuals who were loved by everyone who met them and will be sorely missed.
“Nothing will fill the hole left in our hearts, we are all absolutely devastated and struggling to come to terms with it.”
The crash happened north of Fort William at Torlundy at around 5.30pm on Thursday in treacherous weather conditions.
The young family had been travelling northbound in a green Mini Cooper when it was involved in a collision with a a red Ford Fiesta car.
The 56-year-old woman who was driving the Ford suffered serious but non-life threatening injuries and was taken to the Belford Hospital, in Fort William.
Police inquiries into the crash are ongoing.
A statement was issued by the extended family of the Cousins through the police on Saturday, thanking the emergency services for the work they performed amid such “horrific circumstances”.
A police spokesman said: “Anyone who has information which has not yet been passed to police is asked to come forward.
“This includes if you have seen either vehicle involved on the road before the collision or if you have dash-cam footage which may be of use.
“Please call 101, quoting incident 2942 of February 20.”
