Family pays tribute after Loch Doon kayak death

Scott Ferries's father said he was enjoying life while camping and kayaking

The family of a 24-year-old man who died after getting into difficulty in a loch while kayaking in East Ayrshire have paid tribute to him.

Scott Ferries, a mechanic from Ayr, died at Loch Doon, near Dalmellington, while on a camping and kayaking weekend.

His death came two days after new water safety plan was announced to reduce accidents in Scotland's waterways.

Six people died in lochs in one weekend last summer.

Last week an 18-year-old man died in the water at Mugdock Country Park in East Dunbartonshire.

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The emergency services were alerted at about 13:15 on Sunday, and tried to resuscitate Mr Ferries, but he died at the scene.

Another man who was also reported to be in the water did not need medical attention.

His father James Ferries told BBC Scotland that his son was about 50 yards (45m) from the shore when his inflatable kayak capsized.

He was told it was likely his son had suffered shock caused by the cold water, which would not have been affected by the warm weather on Sunday.

Mr Ferries wrote on Facebook that his "baby boy" passed away "while enjoying life up camping and kayaking" with his friends and beloved dog Roxy.

Loch Doon is a used as a reservoir by Scottish Power

A witness to the accident offered her condolences and said the "emergency services worked so so hard to resuscitate" Mr Ferries.

His brother Kyle also paid also tribute on the social network, saying he was "absolutely heartbroken" at the death.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious.

Loch Doon is the largest freshwater loch in Southern Scotland and is used as a storage reservoir for Scottish Power's hydro electric scheme.

Wild camping is permitted on its shores.

'Worst in memory'

On Friday it was announced that signs would be installed at hotspots around Scotland's lochs, beaches and reservoirs in a bid to prevent accidents in the water.

It is part of a Scottish government water safety plan in response to several deaths in Scotland last year as people enjoyed the warm weather and holidays in Scotland.

Four children and two adults died in lochs and rivers over three days last year - in a weekend described as "the worst in memory".

The new safety initiative also includes water safety lessons in schools and the development of Scotland's water safety code.