Tributes paid to Mid Argyll teen

TRIBUTES have been pouring out for a ‘polite and hardworking’ young man who died at the T in the Park music festival in Perthshire on Friday afternoon.

Peter MacCallum, 17, was going into sixth year at Lochgilphead High School and was known for his love of architecture and his fine Gaelic singing voice.

To his fellow pupils he was kind and courteous and was known for ‘just getting on’ with his school work.

To his Gaelic choir members in Argyllshire male voice choir, Ceann an Turic, he made up the front row of three ‘newbies’ who helped the choir achieve success for the first time at a Royal National Mòd in Oban last year.

Argyll and Bute Councillor Donnie MacMillan led tributes from the town, saying: ‘I am really sad that a young person has passed away.

‘I don’t know the circumstances but nothing will change the fact that a young person has lost their life.

‘My granddaughter was in Peter’s class at school, and she tells me he was well liked by all his classmates, and got on with everyone. He was quiet and studious. My thoughts are with his parents, his community of friends and all concerned. It is a very sad time indeed.’

Choir conductor Joy Dunlop said: ‘This is tragic news. It is so awful. He was a lovely boy. He was very polite, very hardworking and very kind. He made a real effort to get to know everyone and be a member of our choir family.

‘He had a great young, warm, yet still developing voice. He had such great potential. He really enhanced us as a choir. It was lovely to have someone young and enthusiastic.

‘We are all shocked and stunned that one of our youngest choir members has died. I can’t believe something so terrible has happened. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.’

It is understood that Peter was using his summer holidays to gain experience in MacLeod Construction’s architecture department.

A festival-goer from County Durham also died at the event.

While the police are treating their deaths a suspicious, Chief Superintendent Angela McLaren of Police Scotland said: ‘ We are following lines of inquiry, including the possibility they may be drug-related.’

The details for Peter’s funeral were not available at the time of going to press.