Arbroath man John Gillan confirmed as driver killed by falling tree branch during Storm Babet in Forfar

The family of a man killed when part of a tree struck his van during Storm Babet is “devastated” by the loss of a “loving husband and grandfather”.

John Gillan was pronounced dead at the scene after the branch was blown onto his vehicle on the B9127 at Whigstreet near Forfar at around 5.05pm on Thursday, October 19.

Emergency crews arrived and attempted to treat the 56-year-old, from Arbroath, but he was confirmed dead shortly afterwards.

Mr Gillan was one of four people to have died during torrential weather across the UK.

On Sunday, Wendy Taylor, was confirmed to have died after being swept into a river in Angus, while a man in his 60s was caught in a fast-flowing flood water in Shropshire and an 80-year-old woman was found dead in her home in Chesterfield.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Gillan’s death and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

In a statement released through Police Scotland, his family said: “We are devastated by the loss of John and the circumstances in which he died.

“John was a loving husband to Gaynor, dad to Marc, father-in-law to Natasha, and grandad to Reygan and Finley. He was also a loving son to John and Moira, brother to Wendy and a loving uncle, son-in-law and brother-in-law. John will be deeply missed by us all.

“Thank you to family and friends for supporting us through this indescribably difficult time.

“We’d like to request that our privacy be respected whilst we grieve for John.”