Rugby match tribute to political aide who died on pitch

David Hill died while playing in the same match last year

A 30-year-old political aide who died from an undiagnosed heart condition while playing rugby has been remembered at a match in Edinburgh.

Teams from the Scottish and Irish parliaments faced each other in memory of political aide David Hill.

He lost his life to young sudden cardiac death while playing in a match between the two parliament teams.

David's parents say they want to raise awareness and campaign for more screening of young people.

The Irish visitors won the David Hill Memorial Quaich, beating Holyrood RFC by 55 to 32.

Speaking to BBC Scotland's The Nine, earlier this week David Hill's father Rodger said undiagnosed heart conditions were a "silent killer", taking the lives of 12 young people in the UK each week.

• Tributes after Holyrood aide dies playing rugby

David's mother, Sharon Duncan, said the majority of deaths could be prevented with screening.

She said: "David fell into the 80% who have no symptoms and die very unexpectedly.

"He was a fit, healthy young man and there was no reason to think there was anything suspicious."

Sharon said the family lived in shock for the first six months after her son's death, but had received support from the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.

They want to raise awareness of the condition, which affects one in 300 young people.

They are also lobbying for screening to be available to all young people in the UK, starting with a focus in the area around David's home town of Dumfries.

Mr Hill had worked as the head of office for Scottish Tory MSP and party justice spokesman Jamie Greene.

He held several other roles within the Scottish Conservative Party, including working for current leader Douglas Ross.

Mr Hill was described as "rugby daft" and was one of the founding members of the Scottish Parliament's team, where he played scrum half.

He died while playing in a match between the Scottish and Irish parliamentary teams in Dublin last year.

The teams on Saturday were due to include cabinet members such as the SNP's Maree Todd. Conservative MSP Douglas Lumsden was also among the other politicians taking part, along with David's father Rodger.

A dinner will also be held to raise funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young and the Murrayfield Injured Players Fund.