By Paul Reoch

A HOLIDAY in a scenic area of Perthshire ended in tragedy yesterday when a 22-month-old toddler died after being found in a fast flowing burn.

Rory Neil Cochran, of Edinburgh, had been reported missing from the Scandinavian Balnakilly holiday chalets at 12.40pm, near Kirkmichael, which is 13 miles from Blairgowrie.

Police were called and sniffer dogs were used.

Rory was found in the nearby Tullochcurran Burn at 2.30.

He was airlifted by an RAF helicopter that had been scrambled from Lossiemouth and was taken to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, where he died.

Rory had been staying with his family at one the four chalets at Balnakilly Cottages.

The holiday homes all have Norwegian names and the family were in one called Ingrid, where the Tullochcurran Burn runs at the back of the house.

The two-foot wide burn was flowing strongly yesterday due to heavy rainfall and it is believed that the child was found at the end of the water where there are two narrow pipe outlets.

Anthony Reid, owner of the Balnakilly Estate, said the Cochran family had only arrived on Saturday.

He said, “They had gone out to do their shopping and when they got back they said they had shut the door behind them and the children were inside.

“After they had put the shopping away they discovered the door was open and the little boy had wandered off.”

Mr Reid said the family also had a six-month-old child with them.

He added, “Normally the burn is not deep at all, maybe one or two inches, and in the summer children go there to play and splash around. It’s 100% safe.

“But it had been raining all night and may have risen. Last night was very wet. It wasn’t flowing fast, but faster than usual.

“The helicopter came and took the child away and they were trying to resuscitate him.”

Balnakilly is a privately owned estate of over 1500 acres in Strathardle, the valley of the River Ardle.

Mr Reid said the estate has several self- catering log cabins that are let out.

Neighbours in the adjoining chalets were devastated after the tragic event.

A woman in one, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Courier, “This is so tragic, but I don’t want to say any more in the circumstances.”

A man who had been hill walking with his partner, added, “We have been away all day walking but were made aware of what happened. It is so sad.

“There was a lot of rain here last night and the current in the burn is strong just now.”

Francis Sandison (58), of Kirkmichael, said, “The burn would have been flowing at full pelt and a child would not have stood a chance.

“It is very tragic indeed.”

A police spokeswoman said, “At around 12.40pm a 22-month-old boy was reported missing from a holiday cabin situated in the Kirkmichael area of Blairgowrie.

“Tayside Police officers attended and a search was carried out of the neighbouring holiday cabins and nearby Tullochcurran Burn.

“The little boy was found in a stretch of the burn at around 2.30pm. He was taken to Ninewells Hospital where he sadly died.”

She added that the Cochran family were being helped by a police family liaison officer.

The Tullochcurran Burn lies just feet away from the holiday chalets in an area known as the Cateran Trail, on the route to the Spittal of Glenshee.