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Maryam Najafian: Glasgow primary school teacher killed in sledging accident, described as 'shining light' by colleagues

The 25-year-old was sledging in a Glasgow park on Sunday afternoon when the tragic incident happened

Kashmira Gander
Tuesday 20 January 2015 16:05 EST
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Kelvingrove park in Glasgow, where a teacher was involved in a fatal sledging accident.
Kelvingrove park in Glasgow, where a teacher was involved in a fatal sledging accident. (Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

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The colleagues of a young teacher who tragically died following a sledging accident have described her as a “shining light” in their school.

Maryam Najafian, 25, was sledging in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow on Sunday afternoon when she crashed.

The emergency services rushed the teacher to the city's Western Infirmary. She was transferred to the nearby Southern General Hospital, where she died from serious head injuries sustained in the accident, STV reported.

Ms Najafian had recently got engaged to her long-term boyfriend.

Margaret Scott, the head teacher at Lanark Primary in South Lanarkshire, said the school is “devastated”.

"Maryam was a shining light in Lanark Primary," said Ms Scott.

"We are devastated with her loss and will miss her deeply in our school and in our lives.

"She was known and loved by all here as she involved herself so much in the whole life of the school.

"More than anything, Maryam was a dedicated teacher who did everything she could for the benefit of the children in her care.

"Each and every child she met was special to her and she has left them with everlasting memories of her wonderful teaching. Maryam was a young woman whose energy and love of life radiated from her.”

She added: "During her few short years of teaching Maryam became firm friends with many of her colleagues.

"She was a highly respected teacher here in Lanark and in her previous post at David Livingstone Memorial Primary, Blantyre."

The EIS teaching union also paid their respects to Ms Najafian.

They wrote in a tweet: "We are saddened by the sudden passing of Lanark Primary teacher Maryam Najafian. Our condolences to family, friends, pupils and colleagues."

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "A report on the circumstances surrounding the death of a 25-year-old woman following a sledging incident in Kelvingrove Park on Sunday 18 January will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

"Her death is not being treated as suspicious."

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