British woman, 28, dies while undergoing gastric band surgery in Turkey

Tributes have been paid to a 28-year-old Scottish woman who died while undergoing gastric band surgery in Turkey.

Shannon Bowe, from Denny, Falkirk, died during the weight loss procedure, where a band is placed around the stomach, on Saturday.

It is not known which medical facility she had the operation at, or what factors contributed to her death.

Her boyfriend, Ross Stirling, was among those to pay tribute to her.

He wrote on Facebook: "Sleep tight my angel, love you forever and always."

Danielle Black posted: "She will be sorely missed by everyone, one of a kind! Will never ever be forgotten."

Sophie O'Hanlon said: "It’s so cruel. My heart is sore for you and everyone that loved you.

"You were taken in such an unfair way and I’m so sorry Shannon Bowe. Love you forever and I’m going to miss your voice and laugh more than anything."

Read more: Mum, 26, died after flying to Turkey for gastric bypass surgery

Ms Bowe's aunt, Amanda Bowe, posted: "My beautiful niece Shannon there are no words just heartbreak and grief.

"She was a beautiful funny crazy girl who will always live in my heart."

Weight loss surgery, used to treat morbid obesity, is available in the UK on the NHS, but waiting lists are long. There are private options in the UK, but these are more expensive (between £10,000 and £15,000) than having the surgery abroad, which can cost as little as £2,000.

As a result, so-called "medical tourism" has become more prevalent, although health experts have warned of the risks involved.

Last month, the BBC reported that seven British patients who travelled to Turkey for weight loss surgery had died after operations there.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is aware of 22 Britons who have died in Turkey since January 2019 following medical tourism visits.

An FCDO spokesperson told Yahoo News UK: “We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Turkey and are in contact with the local authorities.”

The most common types of weight loss surgery are a gastric band (where a band is placed around the stomach to create a small pouch at the top which takes less food to fill); a gastric bypass (where staples create a small pouch at the top of the stomach that is connected to the small intestine) and a gastric sleeve (where a large part of the stomach is removed to make it smaller).