A Fife bagpiper fears he has played his last lament after his treasured pipes were thrown in the bin.
Devastated Iain Stewart has offered a £500 reward for the return of his beloved instrument after a family member dumped it “in a fit of pique”.
The 78-year-old has been playing the pipes since he was nine years old.
And his current set has travelled the world with him during spells working in Africa and Asia.
But they were flung into his blue landfill bin following a family tiff last week.
And it was uplifted by Fife Council binmen on Thursday before he noticed they were gone.
“I’m in utter despair,” said Iain. “These pipes mean a great deal to me.”
Iain, from Kirkcaldy, has contacted the council in a desperate bid to track them down.
But he’s been told it’s unlikely they’ll be found.
“I play purely for recreation and entertainment and my pipes have given a lot of people quite a lot of pleasure,” he said.
And there have also been a few unusual incidents along the way.
Crazy car accident and an eightsome reel
Iain began playing when he joined the Combined Cadet Force at Dundee High School in 1952.
And he bought his first chanter in a shop in Whitehall Street, Dundee, in 1952 for 17 shillings and sixpence.
“I’ve had the same chanter ever since,” he said.
An engineer by profession, Iain has worked in a number of different countries and always took his pipes with him.
He lost a previous set “during a crazy car accident” in Iraq, and replaced them with the latest ones in 1980.
Other incidents during decades of playing include his bag bursting in Zambia.
And his blowpipe was “thrust” into his throat “by an out-of-control lady doing an eightsome reel” in Iraq.
He was also pelted with orange segments while playing at the Port of Jubail in Saudi Arabia.
‘Not my baggies’
And he has played at Armistice and Anzac Day services across the globe.
“When I heard they had been binned I was in a hell of a state,” said Iain.
“I was saying you can take anything else but not my baggies.
“I immediately got in touch with Fife Council and I really hope they can be found.
“I’m offering a £500 reward to anyone who finds them.”
It’s very unlikely they will be found now.”
Fife Council.
The bagpipes are in a green canvas bag with black velcro straps.
Sadly for Iain, Fife Council reckons the pipes are lost for good.
In a reply to his plea, they said: “So sorry Iain but unfortunately your bagpipes will have been processed within 24 hours after they were uplifted.
“We will keep an eye out for them but it’s very unlikely they will be found now.”
However, if anyone does happen to locate them, please email iainsstewart@yahoo.com