The sister of a man who lost his life in the River Clyde is calling again for the remainder of ‘six’ promised lifeline telephones to be installed by its banks.

Jeanmarie Ferrier is speaking out six years after losing her brother, Thomas Kay, who was 38 when he died.

As part of the Think Again campaign, Jeanmarie wants Glasgow City Council to fulfil its promise after an agreement to install a number of phones by the river’s banks.

She said: “We were promised six phones by the end of summer 2019. To our knowledge, only four have been installed.

“We have been calling and calling on the council time and time again but we’re getting nowhere.

“Everyone in the campaign is completely exasperated.”

The lifeline telephones have been put in place to give the public free access to a line that will direct them straight to Samaritans who can then offer professional support.

Glasgow Times:

Jeanmarie added: “Thousands of people cross the Clyde every day going about their own lives.

“The Clydeside is so busy and that’s why we need these two extra telephones sooner rather than later.

“Even if they only ever save one life, that is still one life.”

The Think Again campaign was informed by a source that the remaining telephones had been sitting in bubble wrap.

The group had been pushing for answers as to why the phones have not been installed.

Jeanmarie said: ““The fact these crucial lifelines are just sitting in bubble wrap breaks my heart.

“The thought of still having to wait for them to be installed even hurts. I’m so angry and I feel so powerless to help.

“Every time it happens, we try and reach out and consistently ask for the remainder of the promised phones to be installed.

“I think it’s an absolute travesty these young people are losing their lives.

“There’s just no words.”

Glasgow Times:

Jeanmarie believes that if her brother Thomas had been given the opportunity to reach for help before his death, he would have taken it.

She said: ““I think from the bottom of my heart - because he was my brother and I obviously thought I knew him - he would have used the lifeline phones if he had seen one there at the time.

“But they weren’t there.

“I just think, let’s get the rest of these telephones installed.

“No more faffing about, it isn’t a blame game, this is life.

“They’re a absolute lifeline in this city’s community. They’re free, they’re accessible and they’re direct.

“That’s what Glasgow needs - it needs something that is free and that is direct.”

A spokeswoman for BT Openreach, which is the contracted telephone provider, said: “We’re in the final stages of a complex project, involving several organisations, on behalf of a customer.”

A Glasgow City Council spokesman said: “We are doing everything we can in-line with the national guidance on how to prevent suicide."

The council has said five lifeline phones were promised to the Think Again campaign.