Family’s grief as student son found dead on beach after beer festival
A GRIEVING family yesterday spoke of their devastation after their ‘beloved son’ was found dead on a beach after a beer festival.
Scott Dunn Calder had just been awarded his masters degree and was with friends at an Oktoberfest event on Saturday night in East Lothian.
But the 23-year-old was found dead on Sunday morning after the event in the grounds of Gosford House, Longniddry.
Emergency services were called to the beach at nearby Longniddry Bents at 7.45am but the young man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Last night, his family said Mr Calder, pictured, who was from Glasgow but had been studying at Napier University in Edinburgh, had made them proud.
In a statement issued through Police Scotland, they said: ‘The profound loss we are feeling cannot be put into words.
‘Scott was a beloved son, a loving boyfriend and a wonderful friend to all who knew him. He had just achieved his masters and had his whole life ahead of him. Every day he made us proud and we are devastated beyond belief that he is gone.’
Police later confirmed Mr Calder had been attending a Bavarian-themed beer festival on Saturday night at Gosford House.
The manor house estate had been packed with partygoers and there was thought to have been around 5,500 people in attendance throughout the day.
But it appeared to have come to a chaotic end at 10pm when the live music finished and people were asked to leave.
One woman on social media said: ‘So sad, the event was poorly run, so many people completely out of it last night and drugs absolutely everywhere.’
Detective Inspector Paul Batten said: ‘Our inquiries continue to confirm Scott’s movements after leaving the Oktoberfest event and anyone with any relevant information is asked to come forward.’
Local councillor Lachlan Bruce, said: ‘This is obviously very sad news. We don’t have enough information at this time to speculate as to what has caused this and doing that wouldn’t be very productive or helpful to the family.’