Seven-year-old girl dies after getting into difficulty at Perthshire river

A seven-year-old girl has died after getting into difficulty in a river at a Perthshire beauty spot.

Emergency services were called out to the Hermitage near Dunkeld on Monday night to a report of two people in the water.

The child and a 26-year-old woman were taken to hospital where the girl was pronounced dead.

The woman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

Officers said the girl's death is not being treated as suspicious.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We were called around 6.50pm on Monday July 6 to a report of two people in the water at Ossian's Cave, the Hermitage, Dunkeld.

“A seven-year-old girl and a 26-year-old woman were taken by the Scottish Ambulance Service to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

“Sadly the child was pronounced dead a short time later. The woman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

“Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened but the death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

“Officers are appealing for witnesses and anyone who has any information and not already spoken to officers is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 3124 of Monday July 6 2020.”

Deputy First Minister John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, tweeted: “This is devastating news at The Hermitage and I extend my deepest sympathy to the family of this young girl.”

Hear all the latest news from the North East of Scotland on Northsound 1. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.