GARDAÍ ARE TREATING the death of an elderly man who was knocked down and killed at his home yesterday evening as a tragic accident.

The 71-year old deceased was struck by a van being driven by his son, sources said.

The vehicle was reversing into a side yard at the house at the time.

The deceased was named locally as Sean Ryan (71) from Ballyneety, Co Limerick.

The tragic incident occurred at the deceased’s home a short distance outside Ballyneety village, close to Ballyneety Golf Club.

Gardaí and paramedics attached to the National Ambulance Service received a call shortly before 5pm of a serious incident at the house.

Gardaí attached to the Garda Traffic Corps, who were in the area at the time, immediately responded to the incident.

Paramedics requested the assistance of Limerick City and County Fire Service who responded with a specialised unit used for lifting vehicles.

“The family are obviously shocked. It’s an awful tragedy,” said a source.

The man’s distraught son was being supported at the house by family members and neighbours.

Munster Regional Communications Centre, which handless all 999 emergency calls in the region, received an “ambulance assist” call at 4.50pm and dispatched three units of the Limerick Fire Service to the scene.

The man’s son had just called to the house after finishing work.

“It happened on a yard to the side of the house, a small bungalow near Ballyneety Golf Club. The son was coming home from work and was reversing into the driveway when the van accidentally rolled over his father,” a source said.

“He was killed instantly, and his son is absolutely obviously distraught. He was being consoled by his family.”

Emergency service personnel erected tarpaulin sheets over the windows of the house as the deceased’s body remained under the van for a number of hours.

A garda spokesman said they were treating the incident as a tragic accident.