A talented Dollar Academy pupil will be taking centre stage at the Highland Military Tattoo.

Sandy Cameron (17), a stalwart of the school’s juvenile pipe band, has been chosen as the Lone Piper for this year’s inaugural tattoo at Fort George, outside Inverness, from 4 to 7 September.

Traditionally the Lone Piper plays at the close of a military tattoo, bringing the event to an end before the performers march out of the arena.

Major General Seymour Monro, Highland Military Tattoo Director, said, “The tattoo is showcasing the talents of many young musicians and we are delighted that a fine young piper of Sandy’s calibre is joining us for this prestigious role.” Sandy started learning the pipes aged nine and has gone on to win many prizes for his piping prowess.

He is a three-time overall winner of the under 18 competition at the Northern Meeting and last year he won the MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd Competition at the Argyllshire Gathering and now competes in adult competitions. In June this year he was part of the Dollar juvenile pipe band which won the European Championships at Forres.

The tattoo will feature the best of traditional and contemporary Highland culture from fiddlers to pipe bands, Highland dancers to Gaelic singers, kicking off with a flypast from an RAF Typhoon from RAF Lossiemouth. In addition, soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland will act out vignettes depicting the building of Fort George and the raising of the Seaforth Highlanders and the recruitment, training and departure of Highland soldiers to fight in the First World War.

More information on the tattoo is available online at www.highlandmilitarytattoo.com.