A major agricultural show has been cancelled as a mark of respect to a little girl who was killed in a horror accident this week.
Eight-year-old Kayla MacDonald died after logs fell on her on Beinn Lora hill near Oban.
She had been walking with her grand-father Ewen MacPherson when the tragedy took place in the village of Benderloch on Sunday.
Head teacher pays tribute to “popular” Kayla, killed in log tragedy
Now organisers of the Lorn Show, which was due to take place at Tralee Beach in Benderloch on Saturday August 5, have called off the event.
Kayla lived in nearby Dunbeg with her mum Karina MacPherson and dad Alistair MacDonald. The family is well respected in the local farming community.
Ewen MacGillivray, a committee member and past president of Lorn Show, said: “Kayla was a lovely wee girl. It is just absolutely terrible. I know that she was at Tiree Show only last week and did very well in the young stock handlers competition.”
He said Lorn Show was cancelled “just as a mark of respect.” He added: “It has really hit the local community hard and the committee just felt that it wasn’t appropriate to continue with the show so close to the tragedy. The location of the show is right in the middle of Benderloch where the accident happened.
“The MacDonalds and the MacPhersons are all well known in the farming community. But it is not just about farming. It is about the whole community. It is just so sad and unfortunate.
“Everybody speaks very highly of the family. I spoke to her uncle Douglas MacDonald and he said they wouldn’t be offended no matter what we decided. It was a unanimous decision by the committee.”
Mr MacPherson’s 12-year-old daughter Caitlin was also injured in the accident. She was airlifted to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow where her condition was described as stable.
Logging has been taking place on Beinn Lora since earlier this year, with warning signs in place and the path fenced off.
Police and the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out a joint investigation to establish the circumstances.
