The heartbroken dad of a teenager who died at T in The Park has welcomed proposals to increase the festival’s age limit.
Music-loving Megan Bell was only 17 when she went to the music festival but sadly never returned home.
She was on the campsite at Strathallan Castle, Perthshire, for only a matter of hours before she took ill and later died.
Megan’s death is understood to have been drug related – the same as fellow festival goer Peter McCallum, who also died on Friday, July 8, 2016.
Geoff Ellis, T in The Park organiser, said earlier this week that if the event was taking place in the future then he would consider making the campsite an over 18s zone.
And Megan’s dad Chris said he thought the move was a “step in the right direction” following his daughter’s death at last year’s event.
Chris Bell, 44, from Durham, said: “If they get back on track and have the festival again, they’ve said they would ban under 18s, which is a good idea.
“I think its step in the right direction but I want it to be for the right reasons.
“They need to want it to be safer, better and a more friendly environment rather than what it has become.
“While security is the way it is, kids should not be attending.”
Mr Ellis also discussed trying to “dial down” some of the dance music events when he was speaking earlier this week.
He explained the campsite had become “very difficult to police” due to the policy that under 18s had to be accompanied by someone over 21, and the amount of alcohol being brought in by over 18-year-olds.
He added: “These issues have always been there. It’s just that I’ve noticed younger people going crazier than their counterparts did maybe five years ago.
“But this would mean that families can’t come to the event as they have done traditionally since 1994, but its just something I feel we will have to do.”
Chris started an online petition following Megan’s death calling for the age limit to be raised to 21.
It gathered thousands of signatures and has now been handed over to his local MP.
Along with campaigning, Chris and his wife Lisa have started a charity in tribute to Megan to help families who have lost children.
They hope to be able to help bereaved families with funeral costs and counselling services if they need it.