Popular island GP found dead in his cottage

A POPULAR GP from the Glasgow area who was working as a locum on an island in Shetland for the summer has been found dead in his cottage.

Michael Irvine had been planning to work in the fishing community of Whalsay for the next few weeks, having enjoyed several spells of work on the island as well as Lerwick over the past nine months.

The 34-year-old single man was described as the most popular of the many locums the island has relied on since the last doctor returned to her home in Australia in 2009.

Mr Irvine was found by his landlady after he failed to respond to a call-out to a patient on Sunday afternoon.

Inspector Eddie Graham said that inquiries were being made into the death and a report would be sent to the procurator- fiscal.

NHS Shetland chief executive Ralph Roberts said: "We are very sad to have heard this news. Dr Irvine was a very well liked and respected colleague and our thoughts are with his family."