Unclaimed ashes to be scattered

Ashes will be scattered on Loch Ness one set at a time

The unclaimed ashes of 17 people which have been stored for up to 40 years are to be scattered on Loch Ness by a funeral director.

John Fraser and Son in Inverness said it had made exhaustive and unsuccessful efforts to trace family of the remains held in its vaults.

They are the ashes of people who were cremated between 1968 and 1993.

The ashes will be scattered one set at a time in June while a lone piper plays and a minister performs a service.

Funeral director Vicki Fraser said the ceremony was intended to show respect to the deceased.

She said: "As far as we know, all these people came from Inverness and the surrounding area, so we felt it was appropriate to scatter their final remains on the beautiful and timeless loch."

The ashes are of Hannah Provan, from 1968; Irene Bartlett, 1970; APF Dempster, 1971; John McRae, 1973; David Provan, 1974; William Orange, 1974; John Cameron, 1975; David Rousay, 1978; Stafford William Down, no exact date but before 1979; James Heatherill, 1980; John Weir, 1981; Christina Bryson, 1982; Elizabeth RM MacPherson, 1984; Greetta Ross, 1986; Jane Alcock, 1988; Anne Elizabeth Matthew Fraser, 1990, and Ellisavetta Osborne, 1993.