Tributes after air ambulance founder John Bullough dies suddenly

John Bullough was one of the founders of Scotland's charity air ambulance service

Tributes have been paid to one of the founders of Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) who has died suddenly.

Businessman John Bullough, 54, was chairman of SCAA, which has seen nearly 5,000 callouts since it was founded 10 years ago.

He was also the instigator of a successful bid to return the Stone of Destiny to Perth.

Mr Bullough, a former army officer who served in the first Gulf War, died in London on Thursday.

The air ambulance charity's vice chairman Mike Beale said: "John will be sadly missed by everyone at SCAA and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

"His brand of enthusiasm for fundraising was to be admired. Over the 10-year history of SCAA he saw over £50m raised, crews responding to nearly 5,000 callouts and thousands of lives saved or impacted upon."

Mr Bullough was born in Cumbria but was brought up at Huntingtower, near Perth.

He attended Glenalmond College in Perth and Kinross, before graduating from The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

His family owned McEwans, a well-known department store in Perth until its closure in 2016.

Mr Bullough played a key role in the successful bid to bring the Stone of Destiny to Perth.

Since its return to Scotland, the historic coronation stone has been displayed in Edinburgh but it will become the centrepiece of a major new museum in the refurbished Perth City Hall.

In 2020 Mr Bullough was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in recognition of his services to emergency healthcare in Scotland and to the community of Perth.