Latest news with #BBCScotlandNews


Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
'Beautiful' sand tribute to Greg Monks created on beach in Portugal
Greg's sister Jillian said the tribute had brought the family some comfort as his funeral took place on Wednesday. A tribute to a man who was found dead after going missing on a stag do in Portugal has been created in the sand at a beach in the Algarve. Greg Monks, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, vanished from the party resort of Albufeira on May 28, with his body being found in a ravine days later on June 4. The 38-year-old's funeral took place on Wednesday, June 25 at Daldowie Crematorium. His sister Jillian Monks said the sand design, created by Portuguese artist Vitor Raposo, has brought the family some comfort during the difficult week. Mr Raposo shared the artwork at Praia Maria Luisa beach on social media. He also uses the beach for designs to honour marriage proposals and anniversaries, reports the BBC. The design consists of intricately drawn circles around a thistle and the words: "In loving memory of Greg Monks, 1986 - 2025." Underneath it reads, "Forever in our hearts, simply the best", above a letter G and a blue love heart. Over £34,000 has been donated to a fundraiser, which was launched during the search but later supported Greg's loved ones and assisted with repatriation. Jillian told BBC Scotland News: "Seeing the beautiful tribute to Greg did bring us some comfort that he has touched so many people. "Speaking to so many people who have moved to the area that Greg went missing, seeing them offering so much help and support, has shown us there are so many good people out there." She added the family were still coming to terms with what had happened, and that his death had "left such a huge hole in all of our lives." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. She said: "Although the funeral yesterday was the hardest day of our lives, to see so many people show up for Greg was comforting. "People all over the world were watching [the funeral] on the link. It reached maximum capacity which just shows how loved he was. It was comforting to hear lovely stories about Greg and how much he meant to all." Greg was reported missing by friends after leaving the main strip in Albufeira in the early hours of May 28, just hours into their trip. A search was launched by Portuguese police, and his body was discovered in the Cerro de Aguia area, three miles away from where he had last been seen, five days later. On Monday evening before his funeral, loved ones gathered for an emotional balloon release at Fullarton Park in Glasgow. Attendees brought a blue balloon with a personal message to Greg.


Daily Record
23-06-2025
- Daily Record
What is wingsuit flying as Scot tragically dies in Swiss Alps base jump
Liam Byrne, 24, suffered fatal injuries when on the Gitschen mountain on Saturday after taking off from 7,784ft (2,400m). A Scots wingsuit flyer tragically died during a jump in the Swiss Alps on Saturday, June 21. Liam Byrne, 24, suffered fatal injuries when jumping from the Gitschen mountain at 7,784ft (2,400m). The 24-year-old from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire was described as a very experienced wingsuit flyer. His father, Mike Byrne, paid tribute from Switzerland, telling BBC Scotland News: "Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us." In a touching statement his family described Liam as "fearless" who inspired them through his "kind spirit" and "bold heart". The statement read: "We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it. "Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. "Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam - it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive." But as the tragic accident makes headlines, questions have risen on exactly what wingsuit flying entails, and the risks associated with this extreme hobby. Here's everything you need to know about wingsuit flying. What is wingsuit flying? Wingsuit flying, also known as wingsuit jumping or simply wingsuiting, is a form of skydiving in which the diver wears a winged suit with fabric extending between their arms and legs. The extra fabric of the suit forms a webbed effect which allows them to glide through the air after jumping from a plane or another high point. By shifting the position of their body, the diver can control their fall and 'fly' through the air, before using a parachute to land safely. This extreme sport requires extensive training to be carried out safely, and it comes with its fair share of risks. How dangerous is wingsuit flying? According to Explorers Web, more than 400 people have died doing this extreme sport since 1981. The death rate for wingsuiting is an astonishing one death per 500 jumps, and it is statistically much more dangerous than ordinary skydiving. Liam Byrne's family continued their touching statement to the flyer who had successfully completed hundreds of jumps in the past, and starred in a BBC documentary The Boy Who Can Fly last November. The statement added: "Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. "He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. "Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.


Press and Journal
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Press and Journal
Stonehaven's 'Bird Man' dies during Swiss Alps base jump
A Stonehaven man dubbed 'Bird Man' has died following a daring jump in the Swiss Alps. Liam Byrne, 24, hailed from the Aberdeenshire town and was known for his adrenaline-inducing skydives involving a wingsuit, hence the nickname – the Bird Man. Described as a 'very experienced wingsuit flyer', Mr Byrne was critically injured on the Gitschen mountain on June 21, after taking off from 7,874ft. He had completed thousands of similar jumps throughout his life. His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died. 'We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it,' a family statement said. 'Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. 'Skydiving and base jumping were more than just a thrill for Liam – it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive.' His passion for skydiving led to him featuring in the BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly. The show builds up to Liam taking on the most technically difficult challenge of his career: a wingsuit jump off 7,000ft (2,134m) Männlichen in Switzerland. He was also proclaimed British champion in performance wingsuit flying. The statement added: 'Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend, he was a source of laughter and strength. 'He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. 'Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.'

Western Telegraph
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Tributes to wingsuit flyer, 24, who died in crash in Swiss Alps
Liam Byrne, 24, died in a fatal crash on the Gitschen mountain in Switzerland, after taking off from 7,874ft (2,400 metres), the BBC reported. In November, Mr Byrne featured in a BBC documentary, The Boy Who Can Fly, about his journey to becoming a champion skydiver. His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died, and paid tribute to his 'wild energy' and 'contagious laugh'. The Byrne family said: 'We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it. 'Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. 'He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. 'Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam – it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive. 'Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. 'He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. 'We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh. 'Though he has now flown beyond our reach, he will always be with us.' The documentary screened on November 8 showed Liam and his father, Mike, as Mr Byrne prepared for a wingsuit jump off Mannlichen mountain in Switzerland. Speaking in the documentary, Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, said that 'an office job scares me far more than the fear of dying from a base jump or wingsuit flight'. The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.


The Herald Scotland
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish wingsuit daredevil Liam Byrne dies in Alps crash
Mr Byrne, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, featured in a recent BBC documentary called The Boy Who Can Fly. He was described as a very experienced wingsuit flyer - which is a type skydiving which involves wearing a special suit with webbing to allow mid-air lift - and had completed thousands of jumps during his career. His parents, Mike and Gillian, confirmed to BBC Scotland News that their son had died. READ MORE: Ex-Marine makes first 'wingsuit' jump from British mountain Scots adventurer who is the real James Bond "We would like to remember Liam not just for the way he left this world, but for how he lived in it," a family statement said. "Liam was fearless, not necessarily because he wasn't afraid but because he refused to let fear hold him back. He chased life in a way that most of us only dream of and he soared. "Skydiving and base jumping was more than just a thrill for Liam - it was freedom. It was where he felt most alive." The statement added: "Liam was more than just an adventurer. He was a son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a source of laughter and strength. "He inspired all of us and made life better with his bold spirit and kind heart. We will miss Liam's wild energy and contagious laugh.