'My mum was murdered - remember her for how she lived her life'

The daughter of an East Lothian woman - killed in a murder-suicide in France - says her mum should be remembered not for how she died, but how she lived her life.

Amanda Kerr has been talking to BBC Scotland about the impact of her mother's death last year.

The unthinkable tragedy thrust Amanda's family into the headlines.

Dawn Kerr, 56, from Musselburgh, and her husband Andrew Searle, 62, died at their home in the hamlet of Les Pesquies, south-west France.

Their bodies were found by a neighbour on 6 February 2025.

French police are still investigating but officials have said it was murder followed by suicide and there is no evidence another person was involved in their deaths.

Dawn had grown up in Eyemouth in the Scottish Borders. The couple had previously lived in Musselburgh and married in France in 2023.

Prosecutors said they had lived in the Aveyron region for five years.

Dawn's daughter, 29-year-old marketing director, Amanda Kerr, has adopted her mum's favourite hobby as a way to cope with what happened - and help others in the process.

She is preparing to climb Mount Etna in Sicily in honour of her mum and to raise funds for domestic violence charity Edinburgh Women's Aid.

''It helps me feel closer to my mum - she loved hiking," she said.

''Sometimes I wish she'd chosen an easier hobby to do, but it helps to clear my mind a bit and feel closer to her physically and mentally.''

Amanda said the training had helped her grieve and to understand her mum's death.

''There are some things that you can't change and some things you can.''

''Every day it is hard and you wish, obviously, that she was still here and I wish it had never happened.

"I'm trying to turn that into some energy and to be able to put a bit of positivity into other people's lives that are here, that I can help and I know she'd be happy, she'd be proud.''

Amanda Kerr has been training in the Pentland Hills, Arthur's Seat and Blackford Hill in Edinburgh.

She said she was nervous about the Mount Etna expedition in Italy because she had vertigo on a recent ascent of Ben Vorlich, her first Munro.

She is doing the charity hike in 15-18 May, on what would have been her mum's 58th birthday, to raise funds for domestic violence charities.

Amanda believes education about the issue in schools is fundamental for teaching young people about the importance of consent and respect.

She said: ''I do miss her a lot but I know that she would be proud that I'm attempting to change or help at least one person."

Amanda has already exceeded her £1,000 target and plans to keep hiking and fundraising in future in honour of her mum.

Her mum made many hiking trips from Kilimanjaro and the Great Wall of China to the West Highland Way, often raising money for charity.

Amanda Kerr wants her mum to be remembered for how she lived her life.

''She was a light in the room, constantly smiling, cheerful.''

''Her energy was contagious, it was really easy to feel cheerful when she was around.''

She said her legacy was ''kindness over everything, helping others and try to enjoy every single minute of your life.''