AN award-winning Scots musician who was in the forefront of a campaign to discredit sectarianism has died in a road crash while on holiday in a popular Turkish resort.
Ewan Manson, who had one of his songs used in a project inspired by a Scottish Government initiative to tackle sectarianism, was caught up in the smash in Fethiye on Monday.
The death of the 23-year-old who was the singer and bass player with Glasgow disco band Dance The Bolero was confirmed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Thursday morning.
It is believed one other person remains in hospital following the incident. His condition was not yet known.
It is understood Mr Manson, who worked with the National Theatre of Scotland and the Scottish Youth Theatre, was with friends while on holiday.
Ewan, who is a Scottish Youth Theatre alumnus, has recently been involved with the company as a professional music specialist on projects such as The Tin Forest, in association with the National Theatre of Scotland and Summer Festival 2014.
Joe Blythe of the National Theatre of Scotland paid tribute saying: "We were lucky enough to have Ewan work with us on The Tin Forest last year. It's so sad to have lost such a talented, and creative young person. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends."
Mary McCluskey, artistic director at the Scottish Youth Theatre added: "We are all very saddened by the tragic news that has come out. What a terrible time for his family and friends and our thoughts are with them.
"It is a loss to creative culture, Ewan was very good at what he did. He worked well with the young people and was going to do a post-graduate as a teacher which he was really looking forward to."
The musician and composer won a competition run to compose a song which exposes discredited sectarian beliefs.
His Dumb Ways To Think song was used in an animated video released in March which aims to discredit the negative influence on Scottish society of sectarianism with lyrics such as: "Now it's time to draw the line". .
Burnsong, whose patron is former Ultravox singer Midge Ure, said the project was created following a Scottish Government initiative to tackle sectarianism and that the song and animation was targeted at five to 14-year-olds.
A £1,000 top prize was offered to the winner of the contest which saw entries from across the UK.
Mr Manson was assisted by young people involved in an innovative project run by Scottish Youth Theatre and Gie's Peace in Inverclyde.
Burnsong said the project aimed to "highlight the similarities between different Christian faith communities by exposing discredited sectarian negative beliefs and myths".
Mr Manson said after winning the award: "It feels great to have won this competition and to have written a song that can go on to help raise awareness and challenge sectarianism."
Mr Manson, who graduated from the University of Salford with a BA in music, also taught creative courses to children in the SYT and was planning to start a post-graduate degree as a teacher.
His Dance the Bolero band were due to play Bute Fest 2015 next month.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We can confirm the death of a British national in Fethiye, Turkey, on June 22 and the hospitalisation of a second British national involved in the same incident.
"We are providing consular assistance."
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