Tragic end to night out in Kilchrenan

POLICE are investigating the death of a 66-year- old man who fell into a fast-flowing burn and died.

The man’s body was recovered from Kilchrenan Burn early on Sunday morning.

He has been named locally as Dr Ron Thomson, a recently retired Glasgow University lecturer in engineering. Police are not treating his death as suspicious.

The Oban Times understands Dr Thomson and his wife were on holiday from Glasgow and were staying overnight with friends in Annat before they planned to continue their holiday in a motor home.

Dr Thomson and his wife had attended a cheese and wine fundraising event in Kilchrenan Village Hall and after the event set off to walk back to Annat. But Dr Thomson failed to return and was reported missing by his wife, police said.

According to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, the alarm was raised at 3.50am and following a major search Dr Thomson’s body was discovered in the burn at 5.25am on Sunday March 19.

Police Scotland added: ‘Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding his death, which at this time police are not treating as suspicious. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.’

Church elder Marilyn Henderson said: ‘In the dark and rain it’s very hard to know where you are. He must have just fallen. You would not hear because of the noise of the burn. It was torrential rain. The burn was in full spate.’

A spokesperson for the University of Glasgow added their tribute: ‘ We are all deeply shocked and saddened by Dr Ron Thomson’s tragic and untimely death. He took formal retirement at the end of January – less than two months ago – and had been looking forward to travelling.

‘As a lecturer in mechanics of solids, he was known to generations of students. His passion was educating the next generation of engineers and he leaves behind a significant legacy in that regard.’