Gun anger of grieving parents

Tributes to the two-year-old, who was shot dead

The parents of a toddler shot dead in Turkey have urged tourists to seriously consider their safety before booking a holiday there.

David and Ozlem Grimason, from East Kilbride, in Lanarkshire, attacked Turkish gun laws as they laid their two-year-old son Alistair to rest.

In a statement, the couple said the grief of losing their little boy was "indescribable" and they then rounded on the Turkish Government, accusing it of failing to act to curb gun crime in the country.

Alistair, who was buried on Thursday, had been with his Turkish-born mother in her home town of Foca, near Izmir, when a row broke out among a group of men.

Our sadness is indescribable. We have lost the most important thing in our lives Alistair's parents

One of the men opened fire and the little boy, who had been sleeping in a buggy while Ozlem and her mother ate a meal, was killed instantly.

The death horrified people and led to renewed calls for tougher gun controls.

David, 31, and Ozlem, 27, said: "Our sadness is indescribable. We have lost the most important thing in our lives.

"We think the Turkish Government has to accept a large part of the blame.

"In Turkey guns can be obtained very easily, either legal or illegal. The punishment for carrying an illegal gun is only a small fine.

David Grimason carries his son's coffin

"We want to warn tourists choosing Turkey as their holiday destination to think twice before travelling as there is this large gun culture and their safety could be at risk."

Alistair's funeral was held at Old Parish Church, Montgomery Street, East Kilbride and was led by the Reverend Stuart MacQuarrie, Chaplain to Glasgow University.

Hundreds of mourners turned out to pay their respects at a service which was conducted in English and Turkish.

His Scottish grandfather, David Grimason Senior, spoke of his "beautiful parents" who were devoted to their son.

Loving family

He said if Alistair could talk now "it would be to say that he had no complaint" about his loving family.

Mr Grimason spoke of his grandson's childhood innocence and of the time he had shown him a "wriggly worm" on a path during a walk.

The grandfather laughed when recalling how Alistair told people he had seen "a wigga-wogga".

UNCLE'S TRIBUTE Mark Grimason's poem to Alistair

His Turkish grandfather, Tuncer Essizhan, said Alistair, had given him "all the joys that will never be replaced".

Mr Essizhan said: "I will always love you and I will always miss you."

Alistair's uncle, Mark Grimason, read out a poem to the child he called his "little star" and managed to get to the very last line before his voice broke with emotion.

Alistair's small white coffin was placed at the head of the church with floral tributes in the shapes of a blue car and a Christmas tree from his Scottish and Turkish grandparents respectively beside it.

A single white rose had been placed on the lid.

A special recording of his favourite song, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, was played in the church.

Lone piper

Rev MacQuarrie revealed that neighbours of the family had raised money to name a star after the toddler and the Royal Scottish Observatory in Edinburgh has been approached.

After the service, Alistair's white coffin was borne by his father, his uncle Mark, grandfather David and another family member to the sound of a lone piper.

He was buried at Phillipshill Cemetery on the outskirts of the town.

Ozlem mourns her son

Speaking before the funeral, Huseyin Gungor, the Turkish Vice-Consul in London, said: "I have spoken recently with the Grimason family and said if there is anything that we can do we will.

"There are no words to describe what has happened. It is a tragedy and the perpetrators will be brought to justice."

One man was killed in the shoot-out and two others were injured.

The man suspected of the killing, Daimi Aslan, a 32-year-old Turkish car dealer, has not been found, officials at the Turkish Embassy in London said.

A man who had been arrested in connection with the killing was questioned but later released by Turkish police.