A Perthshire community has been stunned by the tragic death of the head teacher of their village primary school.
The body of Alan McKenzie, 48, was recovered from the waters of Loch Dow, near Cleish, four days after he plunged through the ice watched by his partner Christina and daughters Sylvie and Mollie.
The family had been on a sledging expedition from their home at East Brackley, near Loch Leven, which is a short drive from the scene.
Mr McKenzie’s partner Christina MacGillivray, who is also a teacher, asked to be left in peace.
In a statement, the 45-year-old said: “We are a very private family and we hope that our privacy can be respected at what it is a trying and very difficult time for us all.”
Mr McKenzie had worked as head teacher at Errol Primary School since 2004 and was described as “well thought of”. He began his teaching career in Perth and Kinross schools in 1989 and also spent some time working in Fife.
Lifelong learning convener at Perth and Kinross Council Bob Band said: “We are all deeply shocked to learn of the accident this week.
“Our thoughts, and I am sure those of staff, pupils and parents, are with Alan’s family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time.”
“We know Alan to be a gentle, caring man and a very enthusiastic and deeply committed educator, with expertise in and a passion for the early years.”
As he did not live in the Errol area, Mr McKenzie was not known to everyone in the village but those who knew him through his post at the school spoke of their shock.
Among those to pay tribute were Innes and Richard Rattray who have children at the primary.
“He was a thoroughly decent and nice man who was always involved with the children,” said Mrs Rattray, 45.
“It was a huge shock, all the things the school put on he was there. It is just tragic, I feel for his family, he will be deeply missed. The children loved him it will be very difficult to tell them.”
Mr Rattray, 48, said of Mr McKenzie: “He had a gentle way about him, he got things done effectively.”
Another local woman, who declined to be named, said: “He was very well thought of, I know that.”
Police divers returned to the remote loch for a fourth day to continue the search for Mr McKenzie. They were accompanied by the Scottish Ambulance Service Special Operations Response Team, who were returning to the site for the first time since Monday.
Divers found the body at 5.25pm, just before calling off the search for the night. At the family’s smart farm home the curtains were drawn and no one answered the door.
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: “They are a lovely family. They want their privacy and we are respecting that.”
It was revealed on Wednesday that Mr McKenzie spent 20 minutes clinging to the ice while watched by his helpless family.
He had been on a family day out sledging in the area with Christina and daughters Sylvie, 14, and Mollie, 11, when he fell through the ice as the family walked across it at around 3pm.
It is understood they tried to reach him by tying coats together and throwing them towards him. Sylvie raced down the hill to meet emergency services but her father had slipped under the water before help arrived.