FORMER Bay City Rollers manager Tam Paton has died in the bath at his Edinburgh home of a suspected heart attack.
The 70-year-old, who had suffered two previous heart attacks and a stroke in recent years, was found dead in his luxury mansion at around 9pm last night.
Original Rollers singer Nobby Clark, who started up the band with Alan and Derek Longmuir, today paid tribute to the controversial but "colourful character".
• Life and death of controversial pop mogulMr Clark said: "For all his escapades, he was a likeable guy. He was the sort of person who was difficult not to like, despite what he got up to.
"Tam and I were friends, we stayed in touch. I was just thinking last night, before this happened, that I would give him a call as I hadn't spoken to him for a couple of weeks.
"I'm still a bit shocked. I met Tam when I was 15 and I was just thinking about the years we were on the road. He will be missed, regardless of what some people think about him. There was only one Tam Paton."
Paton had made millions through the success of the band in the 1970s, but was a far more controversial figure in recent years.
He was convicted of sex offences against two boys aged 16 and 17 in 1982, but cleared of child sex abuse allegations in 2003.
Paton was convicted of drug dealing in 2004 after £26,000 worth of cannabis was found at his home, but was cleared on appeal.
In 2007, he was cleared of raping the band's guitarist Pat McGlynn in a hotel room in 1977.
Since they split 30 years ago, former band members Les McKeown, Stuart "Woody" Wood, Derek and Alan Longmuir and Eric Faulkner have been locked in a bitter feud over claims of missing royalties.
Paton was at his home with two friends before he died, it was reported today.
A source said: "He was there with the two pals and he was taking a dip in his plunge bath.
"One of his friends heard a commotion in the bathroom and could hear water being thrashed about. He ran through to see what was going on and found Tam in an awful state. He tried to pull him out the bath but couldn't get him shifted because of his size.
"He was dead by the time paramedics arrived."
A police spokeswoman said today: "Lothian and Borders Police can confirm that they attended a call to Gogar Street, Edinburgh, regarding the death of a 70-year-old male following a reported cardiac arrest.
"There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal."
Paton had previously said that on his death his property empire, TDP Investments, would be taken over by trustees and he will be cremated to Bing Crosby singing That's The Way Life Is.
His will includes cash for various animal charities and for the children's hospice at Kinross.
The full article contains 514 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
