Highland shinty star dies after suspected heart failure in Edinburgh

The club of a teenage shinty star has paid tribute after he died of suspected heart failure in Edinburgh.

In a statement, Kingussie Camanachd Club paid tribute to Calum Mackintosh who suffered a catastrophic cardiac event while leaving his flat with friends on Saturday.

Former Grantown Grammar School pupil Calum was in his second year of studying law at Edinburgh Napier University.

He was part of the Kingussie team that won the Camanachd Cup in September and was due to be named the club’s young player of the year at its awards night later this month.

In a statement, Kingussie Camanachd Club said Calum lived life with a “big beautiful smile on his face”.

His parents Ann and Iain are local secondary school teachers.

Tributes, including flowers, shinty sticks and Kingussie scarves, have been left at the club’s ground, The Dell.

A spokesperson for the club said: “None of us can make sense of what has happened, we are all devastated.

“We can’t begin to imagine the pain for Iain, Ann and his brothers and all our thoughts are with them.

“When the Kingussie coaches met a few weeks ago to decide on the player awards for this season the Young Player Of The Year award was a no contest – Cal Mac got every vote and was due to receive it a week on Saturday at the awards night.

“We love you Cal Mac.

“We will never understand how this could happen, but whatever this team and this club does in the future we will carry you with us. Forever a boy of The Dell.”