Huge ‘rescue operation’ makes heavy metal fans into unhappy campers

● ‘Sinister suicide pact’ turns out to be harmless trip

A huge rescue operation – including a helicopter, boats and fire crews – was launched after a passer-by mistakenly thought a group of “heavy metal campers” were embarking on a sinister suicide pact.

The three adults and three young children, who share a love of heavy metal music, had actually sailed to the ruins of the 14th century Loch Leven Castle – on an island in Loch Leven, Perthshire – for a couple of nights under the stars in their big tee-pee.

But a passer-by onshore raised the alarm, worried that they had gone off to the island to kill themselves. A massive emergency response was launched, involving a search and rescue helicopter, several fire crews and boats.

Police officers smashed their way into the group’s car parked at the water’s edge in search of a suicide note.

Once on dry land, the campers, including a university lecturer and school teacher were quizzed by police, who said they were concerned about a possible kidnapping.

Campers David Henderson, a modern languages teacher from Glasgow; Aberdeen University lecturer Panadiotis Filis and civil engineer Ross Anderson were rescued along with 10-year-old children Natalia Teo, Jude Anderson, seven-year-old Andrew Vassiliadis and their dog called Jazz.

Mr Henderson, who is also singer with black metal band Nyctopia, said: “We do a lot of camping in rural parts of Scotland, at ruins and that kind of thing. We have a small boat and we thought it would be

0 Ross Anderson, Jude Anderson, 10, Andrew Vassiliadis, 7, Natalia Teo, 10, David Henderson and Pan Filis on the quay where they set off from no idea what was going on.” He added: “There must have been about 70 people there, coming to rescue us, even though we didn’t need rescuing.

“I think someone was worried we had left our car parked at edge of the water. They must have thought it was abandoned.

“The police smashed the window to get inside and they told us later they were looking for a suicide note.”

Natalia said: “I was still awake when it happened. There were all these searchlights and I could see some boats coming towards us. It was quite frightening, because I thought they were going to arrest someone.”

The children were loaded on to the first of two “rescue” boats and given life jackets.

Mr Henderson said: “They took us back to the car park where we were greeted by about 22 vehicles including loads of fire engines, ambulances and police cars. We were led to an ambulance where they put digital ther- mometers in our ears and asked questions. When they realised we were a bunch of good friends taking our kids on a heavy metal camping trip that was the end of it.”

He said: “They kind of made us feel as if we did something wrong, but we just like to go wild camping, drink beer and listen to heavy metal music.”

A police spokeswoman said: “There was concern for people, who were traced safe and well later.”