A WOMAN who died in a crash which also killed her husband was a cook at a tiny primary school.

Residents of Scotland's smallest royal burgh and the surrounding area were in shock after hearing that Anne McSkimming and husband, Derek, had died instantly in a crash nearly 20 miles from their home.

The couple's motorcycle was involved in a collision with a lorry on the outskirts of Castle Douglas. They died almost instantly in the accident on the A713 Castle Douglas-Ayr road on Friday night.

The couple, who were in their forties, lived at Glenlee, near New Galloway in the Glenkens area of the Stewartry.

Mrs McSkimming was cook at Kells Primary school at New Galloway and had been there for many years. Her husband worked with Scottish Power at Glenlee Power Station part of the Galloway Hydro Scheme.

The couple had one ­daughter, Vicky, 23, who graduated from university about two years ago.

Tributes have been paid on Facebook and flowers placed at the accident scene only 100 yards from the burgh boundary at Castle Douglas.

Margaret Watson, who is on the local community council, said: "Mrs McSkimming was cook at the school for most of the years my children were there. She was well respected and every child from the parish who went through the school knew her.

"All the kids at the school would know her."