Loch ceremony for unclaimed ashes

Funeral directors on the cruiser as it heads down Loch Ness

The unclaimed ashes of 13 people have been scattered on Loch Ness after being held in the vaults of a funeral parlour for up to 40 years.

John Fraser and Son in Inverness had the remains of 17 people, but the ashes of four were collected following publicity about the ceremony.

Rev Douglas Clyne led a prayer before the ashes were scattered along with yellow flower petals from a cruiser.

Piper Calum Fraser played at the close of the ceremony.

Rev Clyne, formerly a minister at Fraserburgh Old Parish Church, said it had been an unusual occasion.

He said: "The remains were of 13 people unknown to us and perhaps only known by a very few.

"The setting of the loch and the weather were perfect."

The remains were of people who were cremated between 1968 and the 1990s, but not collected by relatives.

Those that were claimed were not named to protect the families' privacy.