Family pays tribute to reservoir victim

THE family of an Edinburgh expat who died when his car plunged into an icy reservoir have travelled to the Capital from Canada to hold a memorial service.

James Roderick "Roddy" Allan, 43, died on December 30 along with his brother-in-law Darrin Waugh and Darrin's wife Jennifer, both 39.

Their car is thought to have skidded on ice as they drove home from a day snowshoeing in Alberta, and plunged into the Spray Lakes Reservoir.

The only survivor was his partner Jaimie Waugh, now 34, rescued by members of the public.

She has travelled from Canada for tomorrow's memorial, along with the couple's son Oliver, three, and Mr Allan's stepson, her son Rylen, 12.

Mr Allan boarded at Edinburgh Academy between 1977 and 1986, before studying ceramics at Glasgow School of Art for four years. He returned to the city around 1990 and worked in bars, restaurants and hotels, before emigrating in 1996.

The family said anyone who remembered him from his time in Edinburgh would be welcome to attend the memorial at Inverleith Parish Church.

After the ceremony, the family will scatter Mr Allan's ashes on his favourite Munro, Schiehallion, in Perthshire.

Ms Allan said: "We have a lot of family ties there. The last time we were there was in 2007 when he proposed to Jaime, so for us it has a lot of memories."

The ceremony will take place at 2pm on Saturday.