A TALENTED young footballer was electrocuted by an overhead powerline yesterday when equipment he was carrying for a training session came into contact with power cables.

Craig Gowans, a 17-year-old apprentice player with Falkirk FC, was holding 20ft-high poles at the training ground in Grangemouth when he was killed.

The poles support nets used behind normal goals to catch stray balls.

The teenager, from Edinburgh, died instantly in the accident at about 9.30am at the Little Kerse sportsground. Colleagues, said to have included John Hughes, team manager, and Russell Latapy, the former Rangers star, looked on in shock as he collapsed after being hit by a massive surge of electricity.

Club medical staff tried to resuscitate him but the young footballer, a former pupil at Stewart's Melville College, Edinburgh, was pronounced dead by paramedics.

Mr Gowans lived in the Blackhall area of Edinburgh with his parents, Sheila and John, who run a string of fishmonger shops and are on holiday in New Zealand. Efforts were being made yesterday to contact them.

Darren, 20, and Dean, 19, his brothers, and sister Lyndsay, 15, were being comforted by friends and relatives at the family home. Edward Gowans, 52, an uncle, said the young footballer reminded him of "a young Jim Baxter".

Mr Gowans, from Currie, Midlothian, said: "Craig was so naturally gifted, but he was a much better athlete than Baxter ever was. The whole family were so excited for him when Falkirk offered him a full-time contract.

"He was always one of the best all-round sportsmen at Stewart's Melville, but he was extremely bright too and got fantastic results in his Higher and Standard grades."

It is understood Craig had hoped to go to university to train as an architect, but the athlete, who represented Scotland at cross-country running, decided to pursue a football career.

The Little Kerse ground was to be the venue of an under-19s match against Kilmarnock this weekend, but the match has been cancelled.

The squad had just returned to pre-season training as the club prepared for its comeback to the Scottish Premierleague.

Campbell Christie, the Falkirk chairman, said everyone associated with the club was devastated. "Our immediate thoughts are with his family and friends who will be mourning the loss of a young man, starting out on a promising career as a professional football player, " he said.

The former STUC leader added: "No one here at Falkirk has any thoughts about football at this stage and we have cancelled our proposed tour of the north-east of England.

"Falkirk Football Club would ask all parties to respect the feelings of players and management staff at this very difficult time. We will have to decide what to do for preparation for the new season but that is not what we are thinking about just now."

Mr Christie said Craig, who passed his driving test on Thursday, played last season in the under-17s and this was his second week as part of the training group as an apprentice.

"He had the potential to be a football player and that is why he was part of our football development squad."

When asked about safety at the ground, he replied: "This is a matter for discussion later on and the ground has been closed just now."

Central Scotland Police has launched an inquiry and a report will go to the procurator-fiscal.

A ScottishPower spokesman said: "A full investigation is under way into this incident.

We would like to extend our sympathies to this unfortunate young man's next-of-kin."