The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

Man dies in fall tragedy

Police: Man fell into a fast-flowing burn after leaving the charity fundraiser

- BY RITA CAMPBELL

A cheese and wine evening at a local village hall ended in tragedy when a visitor fell into a fastflowin­g burn and died.

It is understood that the man, who has not been named by police, had travelled to Kilchrenan with his wife.

A cheese and wine evening at a local village hall ended in tragedy when a visitor fell into a fast-flowing burn and died.

The 66- year- old was walking to the home of a friend in Kilchrenan, south of Oban in Argyll, from the charity fundraiser in the hall on Saturday night.

It is understood that the man, who has not been named by police, had travelled to Kilchrenan with his wife from another part of Scotland and intended to stay with friends who live locally.

Councillor Julie McKenzie, who represents the Oban Northand Lorn ward on Argyll and Bute Council,

“I would express condolence­s to his wife and family”

said: “This is obviously a tragic accident. I would express condolence­s to his wife and family.

“Kilchrenan is a closeknit community and the local people will be devastated that this has happened.”

The man’s body was found in Kilchrenan Burn in the early hours of Sunday morning after a search operation involving police and the fire service was launched.

A police spokeswoma­n said: “About 5.25am on Sunday March 19 the body of a 66-year-old man was discovered in a burn in the Kilchrenan area of Argyll, near Taynuilt.

“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstan­ces surroundin­g the 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 that prayers were said for the man’s family at Kilchrenan Church of Scotland.

She added that she believed the couple were walking to their friends’ house when the man fell in. She said the burn was in full spate.

The road in the village was closed to traffic for several hours following the incident, and a local forest road was used instead.

Saturday’s fundraisin­g event, attended by about40 people, was to raise funds for the hall’s upkeep.

Meanwhile, a man is still missing after being last seen going out on a boat at Loch Awe, in a nearby part of Argyll.

Searches have been under way for Joachim Brolly, 59, who has not been seen since about 3pm on Thursday March 9.

The last sighting of him was at the south end of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute where he got into a boat at Torran Bay Hostel.

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 ??  ?? TRAGEDY: The man, who has not been named by police, was walking from the village hall in Kilchrenan when he was swept into the burn
TRAGEDY: The man, who has not been named by police, was walking from the village hall in Kilchrenan when he was swept into the burn

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