Fife teenager Gregor Smith dies after contracting meningitis

Tributes have been flooding in after the sudden death of a Fife teenager from meningitis.

Thirteen-year-old Gregor Smith died in Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, on Sunday evening just seven hours after taking ill.

His devastated parents Jenny and George and older sister Rachel are now preparing a funeral for the formerly fit and popular sports fan.

The keen swimmer was a pupil at Kirkcaldy High School, where Rachel also studies. He was also a junior squad member of the town’s Fins competitive swimming club.

Rector Derek Allan said everyone at the school was shocked and saddened by Gregor’s death.

“Our thoughts are with his family and his many friends during this very difficult time,” he said. “Gregor was a popular pupil, well known and liked by staff and pupils. He will be a huge loss to us all.”

The school is liaising with Fife’s public health team, although the chances of other pupils contracting meningitis is said to be very low.

However, pupils have been given leaflets to take home to alert parents and carers of the warning signs they should look out for.

For more tributes to Gregor, see Tuesday’s Courier.