Teenage boy dies in hospital after officers called to Hamilton house

Tributes have been paid to a "charismatic" teenage boy who died after becoming unwell at a house in South Lanarkshire.

Emergency services were called to a property in Pitreavie Court, Hamilton, at around 3.30am on Wednesday after 17-year-old Brandon Rice took ill.

Paramedics treated him at the scene and he was taken to University Hospital Hairmyres in East Kilbride where he later died.

It is understood one line of police inquiry is that the death may be drugs related, however a post-mortem examination has yet to be carried out to establish the circumstances.

Brandon was a pupil at Hamilton Grammar School.

Headteacher Graeme Sives said: "Everyone at the school had a great affinity with Brandon - he was friendly, endearing and charismatic.

"He was as popular with staff as he was with his fellow students and had just been elected as a prefect for next session.

"Brandon was a talented sportsman, particularly in rugby and also last month gained a silver medal in track and field at the county sports."

He added: "He was a student mentor for the Sportworx training programme having excelled on the course the previous year and had career options in that area as well as ambitions to join the fire service.

"Brandon was a fine young man and is a great loss to our school community.

"He had contributed so strongly and had so much to offer and his passing will be keenly felt by all of us."

Two teenage girls, aged 16 and 17, and a 16-year-old boy who were also in the property at the time were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

They are not thought to be seriously ill.