Family devastated by sudden death

A TEENAGER who was head girl of her school has died suddenly at her home in Arbroath.

Fiona Wilson (19), of Flairs Avenue, was discovered dead in her bed by her parents on Tuesday morning, the day she was expecting her exam results.

Her parents, Ian and Isobel, who are waiting to hear the results of a post mortem, say Fiona’s cause of death is unexplained.

Tayside Police confirmed there are “no apparent suspicious circumstances” with the sudden death.

Fiona, a former head girl at Arbroath Academy, is well known in the town as a swimming instructor at Arbroath Sports Centre.

She was about to start a new job as a teaching assistant with Dundee City Council, after studying a course at Dundee College last year.

The alarm was raised by her grandparents, Grant and Sonja Mackay, when they called at the house on Tuesday morning.

Mum Isobel (48) said: “She had been visiting her grandparents on Monday night and stayed there until 10.30 watching the Olympics.

“She was due to work on Tuesday and said she would visit them in the morning to tell them how she got on in her Higher English, which she was resitting.

“When she didn’t come to see them, my mum and dad called at the house.

“We were holidaying in Dunkeld but they called us when they couldn’t get in.

“We came back immediately and reached the house just after 11am.

“We found her in her bed and it was clear she had been dead for some time.”

Fiona had been on holiday with her parents and younger brother last week at Glen Nevis and then in a caravan in Dunkeld at the weekend, but came home early to work on Monday.

Isobel, a charge nurse at Arbroath Infirmary, said she had been in high spirits during the week and was happy when she left her grandparents’ home on Monday night.

She described Fiona as an “outgoing, bubbly person” with many friends.

“Fiona was active in the Angus Musical YouthTheatre, appearing in their shows Les Miserables and We Will Rock You in the chorus and she was a keen dancer,” she said.

“She was a normal, happy 19-year-old. I just can’t believe she’s gone.”

Ian (51), a control system manager at engineer firm John M Henderson, added: “It’s sudden and unexplained and that’s what’s so hard at the moment.

“We are waiting to hear the results of the post mortem.

“The results get sent to the procurator fiscal, then the undertaker and that’s the first we know of it.”

Gail Mallarky, the manager of Arbroath Sports Centre where Fiona had taught people to swim for the last four years, paid tribute to their “enthusiastic” instructor

She said: “The staff at Arbroath Sports Centre are deeply upset by the loss of our colleague.

“Fiona was a superb member of our team, always great fun and happy in her work.

“She was a very conscientious and enthusiastic swimming instructor, who will be greatly missed by our staff and customers.

“Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this very sad time.”

A police spokesman said: “I can confirm officers attended the sudden death of a 19-year-old woman at 11.30am on Tuesday. There were no apparent suspicious circumstances but, as with all sudden deaths, a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”

Fiona Wilson.