I'M OZSTRUCK

Bagpiper Austin, 12, travelled over 10,000 miles for event debut

- GEORGE MAIR

THE youngest performer in this year's Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has told how playing the bagpipes in the world-famous event was "the most extraordinary thing" in his life.

Austin Irving, 12, from Brisbane, Australia, flew over 10,000 miles to perform in the Tattoo, which closed at the weekend after a 23-night run of performances a live audience of 230,000 people and a global TV audience of over 100 million.

The youngster, part of the Brisbane Boys' College Pipes and Drums, said he had been "bouncing off the walls" when he was chosen and is now desperate to return to the even in future years.

He said: "I started playing the bagpipes at the beginning of last year. I saw someone playing through a window and I thought it would be interesting to try them. When I was told I'd been chosen to come to Edinburgh I was bouncing off the walls. I was asleep when my dad got the email and ran into my room. I jumped out of bed and was jumping around.

"I've only been outside Australia once before, on a family holiday to Fiji. It feels pretty amazing to be the youngest person in the Tattoo.