A poignant tribute to local toddler Xander Irvine has been unveiled in Edinburgh to commemorate his short life.
The ‘Snail and the Whale’ sculpture is now located in Morningside Park after local residents had helped fundraise to have it created. Influenced by the three-year-olds favourite book, the site is hoped to now be a space to remember Xander, who was tragically killed in a crash in 2020.
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The toddler had been struck by a car on Morningside Road and was rushed to hospital, where he later sadly died from his injuries. A 91-year-old woman later appeared in court charged with death by dangerous driving but passed away in May 2021.
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Thanking the community for their support and the memorial, Xander’s father Paul Irvine said his son would have “loved to play on it”, with the whale now located in his favourite park.
Carved entirely out of wood, the long brown whale is accompanied by a small snail on its fin, with the story based on an unlikely friendship between the two creatures. A memorial plaque has also been created, and will later be attached to the carving.
In a statement released through Police Scotland, Xander’s family described him as “real chatterbox who just loved books, playing with all sorts of vehicles and his Lego”, as the toddler was buried in sight of his parents home.
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