THE death of a gamekeeper in the Borders was a tragic accident after his own rifle discharged, a sheriff has ruled.

A fatal accident inquiry at Jedburgh Sheriff Court last week heard that Gavin Donaldson, 37, was found dead on moorland, near Oxton, Berwickshire, in May 2014.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond found that the death could have been avoided if the rifle had been unloaded before it was placed inside his vehicle.

Mr Donaldson had been about to enter the vehicle when the rifle went off and he suffered a gunshot wound to the head.

In his written findings, Sheriff Drummond said Mr Donaldson's bolt action rifle was prone to accidental discharge when dropped butt-first with the safety catch off.

Mr Donaldson, of Lauder, was found near a crow trap on steep ground near Oxton, suggesting he had been inspecting the trap before he died.

Sheriff Drummond said it was likely that the rifle had been placed in a position in his cab which allowed it to jar.

He said: "The precise mechanism cannot be specified with certainty but I am satisfied that the rifle accidentally discharged from within the vehicle: the shot struck the deceased causing his death."