“We haven’t a clue what actually happened and a month has now passed and they still have her body.”
Fife grandfather Jim Park has been agonisingly left in the dark by military officials over the sudden, unexplained death of his beloved granddaughter Megan.
The 21-year-old army recruit began basic training at Pirbright in Surrey on September 14 but died shortly aftercollapsing during a mile-and-a-half run two days later.
Her family said the young recruit had always wanted to sign up and had died at “the start of her dream job”.
More than a month on, though, Miss Park’s body has still not been returned to her family as investigations continue into her death and that has prompted real concern among her loved ones.
Her granddad Jim, who lives in Cupar, has now called on the authorities toprovide the family with some sort ofclosure by giving them the chance to say a final farewell.
“You get the feeling the army is trying to hide something from us,” he said.
“We just want her back so the family can have a proper funeral but I just have this gut feeling that they are trying to cover something up.
“We’ve been told they are doing all these tests but it should all be done and dusted by now.
“It’s just unthinkable that they can be hanging on to her for so long. I’s been devastating for the whole family.”
Miss Park, from Blackburn inLancashire, passed away during her first fitness run of a 14-week course aimed at preparing new recruits for life in the armed forces.
Army sources suggested the run was against the clock and not during what is referred to as a “beasting” an informal punishment exercise.
Mr Park said he was delighted to spend some time with Megan during a visit to Scotland in the summer.
“She was just so full of beans,” he recalled. “She actually got the phone call to say she was accepted into the army the day she arrived here in June.
“It was her lifelong ambition to be in the army and she was really fit because she had been through a lot of training before she went there.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Miss Park’s death is still being investigated and added: “The army has no say in how long it will take for Megan to be released back home to her family for a funeral.
“That authority has to come from the coroner and, once he/she is satisfied that all procedures required by law and the investigation have been carried out, then she will be released.
“The army continues to offer advice and welfare support to Megan’s family, now and for as long as they require it.
“They have had a family liaison officer appointed to assist with the passage of information.”