Friends unite to help raise money for son of tragic nurse Jill Pirrie

BIG-HEARTED pals of tragic nurse Jill Pirrie have set up a fund to raise money for her young son.

The 33-year-old died  yards from her Edinburgh home after being hit by a car which was being pursued by police.

Yesterday a Go Fund Me page was set up to try to raise money “for her wee boy”, as her shell-shocked family and friends struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

One local who planned to donate her weekly shopping money to the fund said she hoped others would dig deep too.

Mary Baillie, 67, a cleaner who lived near theatre nurse Jill, said: “It’s torn the heart out of the community. Our prayers are with her wee boy Matthew.

“Everyone just wants to do what they can to help him.”

Relatives and colleagues paid tribute to the mother-of-one, who was treated at the scene but later died at the hospital where she worked.

Retired NHS Lothian staff member Patricia Kerr described Jill as “an angel on earth”.

Fiona Sawyers, a staff nurse at ERI, left a tribute at the crash scene. She wrote: “So sad to hear about Jill. She was such a lovely girl and we will all miss her so much.”

Lorraine Lori Green, from Dalkieth, wrote: “I’m so saddened by this tragedy… I knew Jill well and she was a lovely human being.

“Thoughts and condolences to her family.”

Police Scotland is continuing its inquiries into the incident.

Jill was killed as a police car chased a Ford Ka through Edinburgh on Friday.

Four people, whose ages have not been released, were traced in connection with the incident, which happened in Old Dalkeith Road.

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner is reviewing the circumstances that led to Ms Pirrie’s death.

Her family were too upset to talk when approached yesterday.

But in a statement released yesterday they said: “Jill was a loving mother, daughter, partner and friend who will be hugely missed by the many who knew and loved her.

“She was well known for her great sense of humour, and no words can express the void that is left as a result of this tragedy.”