Dennis Canavan: 'Losing my four children is hard to comprehend'

One of Scotland's most colourful former politicians has revealed he suffers "indescribable bouts of depression" following the deaths of four of his children.

Dennis Canavan, who represented the Falkirk area in parliament for more than 20 years, said: "I find it difficult to speak about it, but the death of a child is the worst thing that can happen to any mum or dad.

"Any bereavement in a family is a sad thing, but it is against the whole natural cycle of life, for a child to die before you, and in my case it has happened not just once or twice or three times, but four times."