Teenage dancer, 15, dies in front of friends at lesson who desperately try to revive her

Star performer: 15- year-old Kloe won a Highland dance competition just three weeks before her death

A teenage dancer who was diagnosed with a heart complaint just months ago has died after falling ill during class.
Kloe Richardson, 15, collapsed as she practised at a church hall in front of her friends, who desperately tried to revive her.
However, she was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital under police escort.
Last night her shocked family paid tribute to the teenager from Arbroath, Angus, who was an award- winning Highland dancer.
Her mother, playgroup worker Allison Richardson, said: ‘Last night she was just her normal self.
‘She went away to her dance class and then we received a phone call to say she had collapsed.
‘We thought she might have just fainted from the heat but me and my husband Wayne got there in five minutes.
‘The ambulance was already there when we arrived. Some older girls were running the class and they had performed CPR on Kloe.
‘They’d known her the whole time she’d been dancing there.
'There were a lot of little girls there and they were very upset.
‘The ambulance workers were fabulous. They certainly could not have done any more.
‘We got a police escort to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and got to stay with her.’
Mrs Richardson, 41, said Kloe had been diagnosed shortly after Christmas with the heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a thickening of part of the heart muscle, which can cause sudden death in young athletes.
She said: ‘Kloe was on medication but she seemed fine. She was just her usual self and carried on doing everything.
‘She had just gone into fifth year and she’d finished her exams last week.’
She said Kloe, who was a pupil at Arbroath Academy, was a talented musician and had played violin and keyboard in the school orchestra.
She added: ‘Kloe was always dancing, singing and smiling.

‘She didn’t do many Highland dance competitions, but about three weeks ago in Pitlochry she won her age category and the overall medal.’
The tragedy happened during the dance class at Knox’s Church in Arbroath, shortly before 6pm on Thursday.
Kloe had a twin brother, Dylan, and two older brothers, Kyle, 20 and Rhys, 16. Rhys said: ‘She was just such a happy person.’
Kloe’s uncle, Graham Mitchell, added: ‘She loved doing everything and she loved everyone.’

On medication: The 15-year-old twin was diagnosed with a condition that a thickens part of the heart muscle early this year

Traumatic: Dance students at Knox's Church in Arbroath (pictured) tried to revive Miss Richardson when she collapsed on Thursday evening

Arbroath Academy head teacher Doreen Redfern said: ‘Our thoughts are with Kloe’s family at this difficult time.
‘Kloe was a popular and bright girl who will be greatly missed.’
Rev Doctor Nelu Balaj, of Knox’s Church, also spoke of his sadness at her death.
He said: ‘This is such a shock for the community and so sad that someone so young has passed away.
‘It is very hard for us to come to terms with this. The church is used by a number of groups and the dance class is one of them.
‘Our thoughts are with the girl’s friends and family.’

DAILYMAIL