An Aberdeen school community has been left in shock as it emerged a much-loved teacher is believed to have died in a climbing accident.
Robert Gordon’s College contacted parents late tonight to reveal the senior school would be closed tomorrow following the “tragic” accident thought to have claimed the life of head of biology, Owain Bristow.
Emergency services, including the RNLI and Coastguard, have been searching for a climber believed to have fallen from the Bullers of Buchan, Peterhead, on Friday.
A statement said it would not be possible to run a normal school day and the timetable for senior classes was cancelled.
It also explained that despite the “best efforts” of those involved, the search had been unsuccessful as Mr Bristow’s fall caused him to be swept out to sea.
After days of extensive searches police said they were now treating it as a recovery operation, rather than a rescue.
In a letter addressed to parents, head of the college, Robin Macpherson,  he had been in contact with Mr Bristow’s close family and “passed on condolences on behalf of everyone in the Gordon’s community”.
He added: “For everyone at the school this has been a great shock and we are slowly coming to terms with this devastating news.”