A JULIA Donaldson Snail and the Whale memorial has been made in tribute to a tragic Scot, 3, who died after being hit by a car.
Xander Irvine, who passed away in June last year after being hit by a car in Morningside, Edinburgh, has had a beautifully carved memorial made in his name.
The large whale carving is a fitting tribute to the youngster who loved the books written by Julia Donaldson and Axel Schaffer.
The whale sculpture is due to be placed beside the slide at Morningside Playpark where Xander loved to play.
The announcement of the tribute piece marks almost a year since the tragic incident.
Edinburgh City Council has agreed to transport and install the sculpture free of charge.
A GoFundMe page was set up yesterday to pay for the bespoke creation.
The page has smashed the £4,000 target in less than 24 hours and currently sits at over £6,000.
Local woman Roz Wood, who set up the fundraiser, said: “Almost a year ago, three-year-old Xander Irvine was tragically killed when he was out for a walk with his mum in Morningside, Edinburgh.
“Everyone who heard about the story was devastated and a real sense of loss and shock was felt in the community, and beyond.
“Wee Xander loved the books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Schaffer and, in his memory, a beautiful Snail and the Whale wooden carving has been made.
“The large whale will be placed into the Morningside Playpark where Xander loved to play and it is hoped that children will enjoy playing on the carving for many years to come.”
She added: “Any donation you can make would be very much appreciated – it would be wonderful if as many people as possible can know they have contributed to such an important memorial in the park.”
The fundraiser has been inundated with comments from donors and well-wishers.
Rowena Trotman said: “A totally beautiful monument. My wee boys will love it, and I’ll tell them as they grow up who it was built for.”
Lia Baillie wrote: “An amazing idea, I’m really touched by everyone’s love.”
Shelly McInnes commented: “It’s a beautiful memorial.”
Lucy Swanson added: “Sending all my love to Xander’s family. I often think of beautiful Xander when I’m in Morningside.”
Xander tragically died after being struck by a red Kia whilst out on a walk with his mother on Morningside Road, Edinburgh.
Ambulance crews raced the toddler to hospital but he died later in the day.
The youngster’s mother was also injured in the incident but was later discharged from hospital following treatment.
The 91-year-old driver was not injured in the incident.
The Snail and the Whale is a children’s picture book that was written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler in 2003.
The story follows a snail that travels the world on the back of a humpback whale.
The snail then proceeds to save the whale’s life after it becomes washed up on a beach.
