Funeral held for Africa scientist

Simon Thirgood was married with two young daughters

The funeral of an Aberdeenshire scientist killed while working in Africa when a building collapsed during a storm has been held.

Prof Simon Thirgood, 46, was working on a biodiversity project in Ethiopia when he died.

A celebration of his life was held at Coo Cathedral, in the grounds of Aboyne Castle, before a service at Aberdeen Crematorium.

Donations were requested to help children in Ethiopia.

Married father-of-two Prof Thirgood, of Aboyne, was head of ecology at the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute.

The project he was working on in Ethiopia was funded by the UK Darwin Initiative.

His wife Karen said the family had been "rocked and devastated" by the loss of a "loving" man and "passionate scientist".

In his memory, his wife hopes funds will be raised to help school education in Ethiopia.