joy ride in St. David's with a friend. Both youngsters were under the legal age for riding.

By Presstime last night Police had not released the dead 15-year-old's name.

He is the first road traffic fatality of 2001. Last year there were four fatal road accidents and the year before there were 17.

The other 15-year-old on the cycle received minor injuries and was treated and released.

The accident occurred on Southside Road near the former US Marine Gymnasium as the youths were riding an auxiliary cycle eastward.

Sometime before 11 p.m. on Saturday, the rider -- it is not known which boy was riding -- lost control of the cycle and crashed into a road median.

The fatally injured boy suffered severe head and internal injuries and was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital but he succumbed to his injuries at around 8.30 a.m. yesterday.

Witnesses to the single-vehicle accident are asked to contact P.c. Andrew Excell at 234-0011.

ACCIDENT AC