Auction raises £2k for tragic teen fund

The charity auction was held recently at the Auchinairn Tavern in Bishopbriggs.

Several signed football shirts, including a Celtic top signed by former Scotland striker Kenny Miller and a Rangers shirt signed by the entire 2003/04 season squad, were auctioned off.

Generous locals also donated food, face painting and a bouncy castle.

Auction organiser and family friend Thomas Croly (30) said: “Paige’s family are from here. Her step-dad, grandad, uncle and cousins all drink in here.

“When they told us what had happened it seemed right for us to do something.

“It started off as a social media thing but as soon as I put it up people started bringing donations in to the pub so we decided to hold it here. It was better to bring everybody together.

“Paige’s mum came along, it must have been really hard on her but we raised a lot 
of money.

“The whole community pulled together donating food, a bouncy castle and even face painting for the kids to make a day of it.”

Friends of Paige are also organising an event to celebrate what would have been the teenager’s 16th birthday this month.

Jayne Crawford, who is organising the event, made an appeal on Facebook for caterers to supply food for about 200 people.

Meanwhile, members of Creative Dance Academy in Summerston and Yoker dressed upin pink last weekend to raise more than £140.

Paige, originally from Bishopbriggs, had been sleeping over at a friend’s house in Clydebank.

She went missing on her way to her Saturday job at Street Image hairdressers on March 19.

Her body was discovered two days later in bushes at the side of busy Great Western Road in Clydebank.

The man charged with her murder appeared in private at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for a second time last week.

John Leathem, of Clydebank, made no plea or declaration during the full committal hearing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court.

The 31-year-old deli owner was remanded in custody 
after the hearing.