Fury as Duke said ‘carry on’ after grouse shoot death
Family of beater who died on moor are left ‘angry and hurt’
ONE of Scotland’s wealthiest landowners has been heavily criticised for continuing a shoot after the death of a grouse beater.
The grieving family of Kenneth Wyper believe the Duke of Roxburghe should have cancelled the event on his Borders estate as a ‘mark of respect’.
Father-of-one Mr Wyper, 55, from Kelso, Roxburghshire, was a member of the Duke’s beating team on the Byrecleugh moors when he took ill and died on September 4.
Shooting ceased while the emergency services were at the scene, but it has emerged that the 50-strong party resumed their activities soon after.
Mr Wyper’s sister Pauline told the Scottish Mail on Sunday last night that the family were ‘angry and hurt’.
‘Out of respect for my brother we believe the Duke should have called off the shoot,’ she said.
‘It was a shock to learn that they all carried on in the afternoon in the knowledge that a man had lost his life. It’s just not right.
‘About ten minutes into the beating, the gamekeeper realised that Kenneth was missing from the line and he went back and found him clutching his chest.
‘He died at the scene. People knew he had died. He had worked as a beater a few times to earn some extra money and people knew him.
‘I know these shoots are big money events but it still should have been stopped.
‘His life was worth the same as anyone else’s on that day.’
Miss Wyper added: ‘I also am disgusted that it took me emailing the estate four days after my brother died for a letter of condolence to be sent to my parents from the Duke.
‘I had to give them my parents’ address. I don’t think it would have happened if I had not prompted them.’
She described Mr Wyper as ‘the best brother ever’ and said he would be ‘sorely missed’.
‘It has been an incredibly hard week for us all. Kenneth’s death was a real shock because he was only 55.
‘He was very much loved by all his family and was very well liked in the local community, where he had lived most of his life – no one ever had a bad word to say about him. He just loved the outdoors and tried to get out as much as he could.’
A private family funeral will take place on Wednesday. Neil Dale, chief executive of the National Organisation of Beaters and Pickers Up, also paid tribute to Mr Wyper.
He told The Scottish Mail on Sunday: ‘I was shocked to hear that a fellow beater had died while out beating on the grouse moor.
‘Although grouse beating is the most arduous type of beating that we carry out it normally results in nothing more than a few aches and pains.
‘Beaters are an asset to any shoot and work hard helping the shoot day run smoothly. As a valuable member of a beating team he will be sorely missed and I would personally like to offer my condolences to his family.’
A spokesman for Roxburghe Estates said: ‘Our thoughts are with Mr Wyper’s family at this very sad time.
‘The estate has been in contact with the emergency services who attended on the day and the Duke has personally written to Mr Wyper’s family to express his condolences.’
A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed that the emergency services were called to the Byrecleugh Estate at 11.30am on Friday, September 4 after reports a 55-year-old man had taken ill. There were no suspicious circumstances.
The 10th Duke of Roxburghe, Guy Innes Ker, owns Floors Castle and surrounding estates that expand over 65,000 acres of countryside.
He was educated at Eton College, Magdalene College, Cambridge, and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
His estates, which have been in the family since the 1700s, are popular for both pheasant and grouse shooting.
‘They found him clutching his chest’ ‘The shoot should have been stopped’