Shotts woman dies suddenly on holiday in Benidorm

Dec 12 2012 by Graham Miller, Wishaw Press

Janet Leckie, pictured with husband John, passed away on holiday

The death of a Shotts woman on holiday has left her husband devastated and her home town stunned.

Janet Leckie, 54, had been on a short break in Benidorm with her friend and neighbour when tragedy struck.

The home support worker died of a huge heart attack in her sleep early on Saturday.

Her husband John, 60, said: “It’s been so hard to take in. I still can’t believe it. Janet really loved life and had thoroughly enjoyed her trip with her friend and neighbour, June Wilson.

“She phoned me every evening and was having a lovely time. She called on Friday night to say they were all packed with their passports ready for their morning flight back home. She sounded really happy

“Little did I think that it would be the last time I’d hear her voice.”

John was meant to travel to Edinburgh Airport on Saturday to collect the friends. But he was awoken at 6am by June’s husband Chic, who told him Janet had died.

John said: “I just went numb. I couldn’t take it in. I said: ‘Chic don’t tell me that’ and then the two of us just burst into tears.

“June said she’d woken and noticed Janet wasn’t breathing. She said there wasn’t a trace of pain on her face.”

John added: “Everyone in Shotts is devastated. My house hasn’t been empty since it happened. People have been great. Janet was a well-liked person and I’ve had countless calls from old people she cared for, who are all really going to miss her. They told me she was wonderful at her job, always going out of her way to help, above and beyond the call of duty.

“She loved her pensioners, she loved her job and she loved life. She’d even bought and wrapped all her Christmas presents before she went. It’s so sad.”

North Lanarkshire Provost and Shotts councillor Jim Robertson said: “Janet was very well known through her work as a carer and home help and I was very shocked and upset to hear of her sudden death. Her husband, a council chargehand, is a really decent, hardworking man and my thoughts are with him at this time.”