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A Scottish man has been knocked down and killed on a German motorway after trying to take a selfie, according to police.
The man was named on social media as Dean Steele, from Uddingston, Lanarkshire, who is believed to have been 22. He was one of three men from Scotland visiting a motorway rest area in Gudow on the former border between East and West Germany on Sunday.
Police suspect they were taking selfies on the central crash barrier on the A24 autobahn when a 73-year-old Audi driver from the nearby town of Lauenburg hit Mr Steele, who is thought to have died instantly.
Officers in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein said the men stayed in Hamburg before travelling by train and taxi to Gudow.
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In a statement, police in the nearby city of Lubeck said witnesses reported seeing the three men taking “cellphone pictures of themselves” and said they may have been drinking.
Friends paid tributes to Mr Steele, and an online fund to repatriate his body and pay for funeral costs has been set up.
On Facebook, his cousin Abigail Steele wrote: “Absolutely devastated rest in peace Dean cuz love you always till I see you again. I am so proud to call you my cousin we love you and miss you so much Dean.”
Friends’ condolences
One friend, Joseph Cheney, posted: “Absolutely lost for words. Can’t believe this. One of the boys one of my best mates has passed away. So many great nights out [and] memories of you absolutely gutted man.”
A Facebook post by a local bar and restaurant, the Laughing Buddha in Viewpark, read: “It is with a heavy heart that we are informing you all that one of our regulars Dean Steele has passed away in tragic circumstances. For those of you that don’t already know, Dean was involved in an accident in Germany.”
It added that a collection was being held to pay for funeral costs: “We are hoping all of our staff and customers can come together at this terrible time to help his family get Dean home. There will be a collection in the bar for anyone wishing to contribute to the cost of getting him home for the send-off he deserves. Everyone here at Laughing Buddha is absolutely devastated at this news and are thinking of Dean’s family at this sad time.”
The victim of the accident has not been formally named but a spokesman for the foreign office said relatives were aware of his death. He added: "We are supporting the family of a British man who sadly died in Germany on April 30th and are in contact with the local authorities." – (Guardian service)