'Lauren was a beautiful girl inside and out ..May her soul rest in peace'

Outpouring of grief as garda probe incident | Motorsport community in shock at loss

- BY DAVID YOUNG

TRIBUTES have been paid to a 13-yearold girl who died in a motorsport racing crash on Sunday.

The young girl from Co Cork, named locally as Lauren O'Brien from Knockane near Tarelton, was competing in an event at the Cork Autograss Racing Club when her vehicle crashed on Sunday afternoon.

The incident happened at a race track in Castletown-Kinneigh, close to Bandon in west Cork.

The young racer died at the scene and her body was taken to Cork University Hospital for a postmortem examination.

Autograss racing is a motorsport involving buggies or specially modified cars.

Gardai are investigating the circumstances of the crash.

Lauren was a first-year student at McEgan College in Macroom.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the school paid tribute, saying: "Lauren was a beautiful girl, inside and out, bubbly, fun loving, kind, caring, a loveable rogue.