One of the pipers who led the Queen's funeral procession and has a link to County Durham has reflected on being part of a huge historic event.
John Mitchell, 29, has been a member of the first battalion Scots Guards since the age of 16. Originally from Dundee, he now lives in Edinburgh but spent six years in the North East from 2014 - 2020 in Stanley.
He took up the pipes aged five and is following in the footsteps of his late uncle, who was in the same regiment decades ago. And he has described playing at the funeral as the greatest honour of his military career.
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John said: "It was incredibly overwhelming having the opportunity to serve the late sovereign one final time. It was the greatest honour of my military career."
It is not John's first engagement with the Queen, having played the pipes at several state banquets, where the head of state hosts dignitaries and leaders from around the world. He has also been the lone piper at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
He continued: "I've done a number of state banquets and I've had the opportunity to speak and meet with the late sovereign. It's a very surreal moment, you don't really process until it's over, did that really just happen?
"Have I really just met the Queen? Have I really just met Barack Obama?
"It takes a while to process. It's just incredible opportunities you get like that in the regiment that attracts pipers to the Scots Guards. And playing at the late sovereign's funeral tied in, almost like a full circle after meeting her personally and being one of the pipers on the way to her final resting place."
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