A schoolboy from Rothesay on the Isle of Bute in Argyll was killed on Sunday (02/05/10) while riding his quad bike at his parents’ farm.

The Press Association reports that the accident occurred at around 6.20pm. It is believed nine-year-old Robert McAlister was alone at the time and no one else was involved.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said that Robert was taken to the Victoria Hospital in Rothesay by ambulance but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Strathclyde police are currently investigating the accident and a post-mortem report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

Robert’s head teacher at Rothesay primary school, where he was a pupil, said he was ‘passionate’ about sport and especially quad biking. Wendy Brownlie added that Robert was ‘a popular boy who will be sadly missed’.

The Daily Record newspaper reports that family members found Robert – an only child –

lying under his quad bike, after he had gone out to fetch cattle from the farm’s herd and bring them back into the barn for the night.

An unnamed family friend said that many youngsters living on farms used quad bikes to get around on.

‘There are quite a few bikes around the area – I have one myself,’ said the source.

‘They can be dangerous – the centre of gravity is really high and if you accelerate too quickly, the bike can flip up and come over on top of you.’

There was another fatal quad bike accident in Scotland in April, when 58-year-old Lorna Hill from Thornhill in Dumfriesshire was killed when she fell from her quad bike into water and was swept away by the current.

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