Alex Salmond funeral: Scots village prepares to say goodbye to beloved neighbour

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A village in mourning is preparing to say goodbye to their beloved neighbour, Alex Salmond.

The veteran politician, who twice led the SNP and helped redraw the Scottish political map during a 40-year career, died suddenly earlier this month from a heart attack aged 69.

Salmond lived in Strichen, a small village Aberdeenshire, and was a much-loved member of the local community.

Mourners will attend a private funeral service near his home at Strichen Parish Church at 1pm, conducted by the Rev. Ian McEwan.

On a sunny Tuesday morning the high street was quiet as locals prepared to say goodbye to Salmond.

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While to many Salmond was an outspoken political leader, in Strichen he was just a much-loved neighbour.

He would often be seen walking to the local butchers shop or heading to the Co-op to get his shopping - and locals in the village have been left heartbroken by his sudden death.

Lilian Lawrence, 72, a retired nursery nurse who also worked in the local butchers and bakers, said: "He always had something to say when he was in the village.

"He was often on the go in the village and he'd always say hello. When he was in the village he was just one of us. He wasn't a politician, he was our neighbour.

"Politically, I thought he was a very inspirational speaker. He made you believe that what he was saying could actually happen. He will certainly be sadly missed in Strichen."

Alexander Forbes, 59, who runs the Whitehorse Hotel in the village, wrote his moto 'the dream shall never die' alongside a saltire on a board at the side of the pub as a mark of respect.

Alexander said: "Sometimes when I'd nip down for change at the local shop you'd just Alex in there getting his messages.

"It's a sad day for the village. The fact his wife wanted to have his funeral here means a lot. It's a big thing for the village that he'll be buried here.

"Everyone here always had good things to say about him.

"He loved a dram. He used to come in here for a drink and I remember one day someone shouted, 'Hey Alec are you not going to buy us all a drink?' - and sure enough he did. That was the type of person he was. He'll be sadly missed."

Eulogies at the service will be given by Kenny MacAskill, the acting Alba Party leader, family friend and SNP MSP Fergus Ewing, and by Christina Hendry, daughter of Salmond's sister Gail Hendry.

A larger public memorial service is expected to take place later in the year.

Alasdair Smith, 58, and his wife Lisa, 58, are both retired and travelled through to Strichen from Granton to pay tribute to Salmond.

Alasdair said: "We can't be here when the event takes place in Edinburgh, so we decided to come over.

"We're here to pay our respects to a guy who was a true Scottish patriot. He was the greatest leader in my lifetime. The greatest we have ever seen.

"He helped people begin to see us as an independent nation. He made us believe in ourselves."

Lisa added: "The whole thing is just a shock. I feel like a big part of Scotland has been lost with Alex.

"He was inspirational. He was a great political leader. He inspired us all to believe that independence was normal. He made us believe it could be possible. It's a very sad day."

Salmond was attending a political conference in North Macedonia when he suffered a heart attack on October 12. His body was later repatriated to Scotland on a private flight paid for by Sir Tom Hunter, the billionaire philanthropist.

The lifelong campaigner for Scottish independence was born in Linlithgow in 1954 and would first enter politics full-time when he was elected an SNP MP in 1987.

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