PA MediaFormer first minister Alex Salmond’s funeral will be held on October 29, it has been confirmed.
The former SNP leader died in North Macedonia earlier this month after suffering a heart attack.
His body was repatriated – on a flight paid for by businessman Sir Tom Hunter – on Friday, landing in Aberdeen on a private plane.
Salmond’s family confirmed the private funeral will take place next Tuesday at Strichen Parish Church near his Aberdeenshire home.
Reverend Ian McEwan will conduct the service before a private burial at Strichen cemetery.
A public memorial service is expected to take place in the coming weeks.
Salmond, who was first minister between 2007 and 2014 and was responsible for securing the independence referendum, was seen off from North Macedonia by a guard of honour.
Arriving back in Scotland, the flight was met by his family and Kenny MacAskill, a long-term friend who stepped into the role of acting Alba leader following Salmond’s death.
His coffin was taken off the plane – draped in a Saltire – to the sound of a lone piper, before being loaded into a hearse and taken to a funeral home in Fraserburgh, led by a group of independence-supporting bikers.
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