Memorial prize honour for student killed in air crash

A YOUNG musician who died along with his sister when their plane nosedived into a Florida swamp is to be honoured by the Edinburgh music school he attended.

Daniel Beattie, 24, was described as a "determined and dedicated" student of the Morningside School of Music, which is going to create a memorial prize in his name.

Mr Beattie, from Penicuik, and his sister, Carly, 21, died on June 9 after the Cessna 152 Ms Beattie was piloting plunged into swampy woodland near Blue Cypress Lake in Florida.

Mr Beattie had travelled to Florida with his parents to visit his sister, who was studying in the United States for a degree in air transport with commercial pilot training.

The first Daniel Beattie Memorial Award will be presented to a student with "fantastic aptitude in music".

Paul Boyd, managing director of Morningside School of Music, said the annual recipient of the award will have to display the same kind of dedication Mr Beattie had.

A talented guitarist, Mr Beattie began attending the music school to study piano and music theory to enable him to get on to a music course at university.

Mr Boyd, who became good friends with Mr Beattie, said: "We are going to make a shield which we will give out to a student who shows fantastic aptitude in music. We are particularly going to be looking for the same dedication that Dan showed.

"Dan was a brilliant guy and hard worker when it came to music.

"At one point he was coming in every day because he was going to study music at university.

"I was teaching him lots of music theory and he was also being taught rhythm by one of our drumming teachers.

"His determination was unbelievable and he studied harder than we had expected. He was a clever guy.

"We were absolutely horrified when we heard about the crash.

"Dan wasn't just a student, he was a friend as well."

The inaugural Daniel Beattie Memorial Award is set to be presented in November at the music school's annual dinner, with one musician being selected out of the 700 students on its books.

Mr Boyd added: "The award will be the only prize we give per year.

"It doesn't have to be someone who's a seasoned musician.

"It could be a complete beginner who has shown they are working hard."

The memory of Mr Beattie's sister is also set to be honoured with a

regular race held by Edinburgh Athletic Club, where she trained.

Ms Beattie was a talented sprinter and had hoped to compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Around 200 mourners attended the celebration of life service for the siblings on Thursday, which was held at Mortonhall Crematorium.

The streets were lined by people wearing colourful clothes, as requested, as the coffins arrived.