Gun teaching reviewed after deaths of Sophie and her 'Prince Charming'

FIREARMS training is set to be reviewed at Scotland's main gamekeeping college following the deaths of two teenagers in a shotgun tragedy in a remote Highland glen.

Trainee gamekeeper Calum Murray is understood to have been cleaning his shotgun, before he and another apprentice went out shooting when he accidentally discharged the weapon, killing his girlfriend who regarded him as her "Prince Charming".

And as 16-year-old schoolgirl Sophie Taylor lay dying the devastated 18-year-old ran outside the isolated cottage where they and another couple were spending the evening, and turned the weapon on himself.

Yesterday, as Mr Murray's devastated parents paid tribute to their "beloved and treasured son" the principal of the college where he had been training to fulfil his ambition of becoming a gamekeeper pledged that any necessary lessons would be learned from the double tragedy.

Gordon Jenkins, the principal of the North Highland College in Thurso, told The Scotsman: "If we find that there has been a breach of health and safety or good practice in the use of firearms, I think the college would be remiss if it didn't look at its practices and what we do."

Mr Murray was employed as an apprentice gamekeeper on the Glen Avon estate near Tomintoul in Moray and the "model student" was about to complete the first year of a two-year SVQ course in gamekeeping and wildlife management run by the college, Scotland's leading centre for the training of gamekeepers.

Mr Jenkins said: "The students on that course have employed status and work on the estates as trainee gamekeepers and come to the college on block release for one or two weeks at a time.

"The course includes firearms safety and use. The students all have to gain their own firearms' certificate and they either have to provide their own gun or use the estate's gun where they are working. We do the training."

He added: "We are a small college and quite close knit so everybody is feeling it. And, although Calum only came here on block release, we feel that each one of our young people are very precious to us and it has been an emotional and traumatic two days for us and our hearts just go out to the parents of both the young people who have been killed. It must be such a shock and such a terrible time for them."

Mr Murray's parents, Alan and Anne Marie, are divorced and have both remarried. They said yesterday in a joint statement released by Grampian Police: "Calum was a much loved and loving son, brother, grandchild, nephew and friend to many.

"He completed a cookery course before embarking on a career as gamekeeper. Calum was very passionate about his new career. He loved the outdoors, walking with his dogs in the hills and had shown a real flair and desire to progress with his gamekeeping.

"Calum was much admired both by his family and his friends and we are very proud of all he had achieved. He will be loved and treasured forever." A spokesman for the Glenavon Estate said that Mr Murray had been a trainee gamekeeper on the estate since June 2010. He said: "Calum was a fine young man who was very well-liked and our deepest sympathies go to his and Sophie's families."

Miss Taylor was a fourth-year pupil at Speyside High School in Aberlour where arrangements are being made for a special assembly when pupils return on Monday after the Easter break. David Tierney, the head teacher, said: "We are a small school and the pupils know each other very well and her loss will be great tragedy for many of them."