The family of a tragic toddler have pleaded with people in a north-east port to stop donating to a fund set up in his memory.
Relatives of three-year-old Kyle Strachan have been left “devastated” by his death but have asked members of the public to stop contributing to a collection to cover the cost of his funeral.
They said last night the boy’s father Mark Strachan wanted the family to be allowed to make their own, private arrangements to lay the youngster to rest.
Kyle died at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital on Monday after an accident at his mother Sigute’s home in Peterhead’s Longate.
It is understood he hit his head on a radiator as he played with his older brother Mark, aged four.
Kyle’s mum is Lithuanian and a collection tin was put out at the Oksana eastern European grocery store in the town, and hundreds of pounds have already been donated towards the cost of his funeral.
But a relative said last night that 36-year-old Mr Strachan wanted the fundraising halted.
He said: “It’s a very hard, hard situation, but it’s just becoming a show.
“Mark has a lot more important things going on, and he has already asked for that charity box to be removed.
“He doesn’t want any of that – he just wants to sort it himself.
“Kyle was a wonderful child, he was quiet but always happy. His older brother is just absolutely devastated.
“Mark is heartbroken, too. It just doesn’t seem real to us. We just don’t want to be involved in this circus and we’ve tried to have a dignified silence about it all.”
Orest Susak, who works at the Oksana shop in the Longate, said large numbers of eastern Europeans had been travelling from as far as Aberdeen to donate anything between £10 to £70.
He now estimates that about £1,500 has been raised.
“People from all over are coming and giving money, from Aberdeen, Fraserburgh and Peterhead,” he said.
“In my country this is a tradition when a young person dies.”
Mr Susak added that if the family were unhappy he would give the money to Kyle’s aunt, Ruta Gedgaudaite, who first asked him to collect.
Mr Strachan married Kyle’s 26-year-old mother, who works as a carer, in 2013, but the couple split up last year.
It is believed she moved to the north-east from Lithuania seven years ago.
Marie Anderson, who lives near Mr Strachan in Peterhead’s Raemoss Road, said Kyle’s death would “destroy the family”.
Police are still investigating Kyle’s death, which is being treated as “unexplained”, although there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances.