Scotland’s Shannon Bowe, 28, dies during gastric band surgery in Turkey as her heartbroken boyfriend pays tribute

A YOUNG Scottish woman has died in Turkey after gastric band surgery.

Shannon Bowe, 28, from Denny, Stirlingshire, is believed to have died while undergoing weight loss surgery on Saturday.

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It is unclear at which clinic she underwent surgery or what led to her death.

Today her partner Ross Stirling posted a tribute online which read: “Sleep tight my angel love you always and forever.”

A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Turkey and are in contact with local authorities.”

Gastric banding is a weight loss procedure that involves placing material around the stomach to reduce food absorption.

Many people visit countries like Turkey as it is cheaper than the UK – and many clinics have a lower threshold for the weight of people undergoing this treatment.

Last night, devastated friends and family also paid tribute to the tragic Shannon.

One wrote online: “No words absolutely devastated. Life is so cruel. You will be in our hearts forever.”

Another added: “Rest in peace Shannon Bowe.

“My heart is so sad Shannon. You were one of the purest and kindest souls I have ever met!

“So thankful for the memories with you.”

It has been claimed Shannon doesn’t have travel insurance – and that could mean her family will have to pay thousands to repatriate her body.

In November we reported how NHS Scotland saw a spike in serious hospitalizations and at least one death as people were botched up by cheap cosmetic surgery abroad.

Internal emails from Public Health Scotland, obtained under freedom of information laws, show the agency has been made aware of people in need of urgent treatment here after cheap surgeries in places like Turkey.

At the time, consultant plastic and cosmetic surgeon Hilal Bahia, who works for NHS Lothian and in the private sector, said: “We have a number of patients returning from Eastern Europe and Turkey who have had cosmetic surgery.

“Some have had horrific complications, such as infections, with no opportunity or opportunity to return to their surgeon to clear it up.”

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