PIPE band veteran David Leckie was hailed the music hero of the night as Haddington Pipe Band picked up the Live Music Award at the East Lothian Courier Community Champion Awards.

A real community band that is truly part of the fabric of the town, it has members of all ages and performs at events around the county.

The band performs across Haddington and wider East Lothian, and is a welcome sight, and sound, at community events in the town.

The band were winners over Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band, East Linton Community Choir, and The Goats’ Toes, from Knox Academy.

Alastair Bruce, board of trustees member and piper, dedicated the award to founding member David Leckie.

GALLERY: Our community champion winners pictured 

He said: “It’s fantastic. A lot of hard work has gone into the last 43 years, particularly by Davie. He started the band and has continued the energy of the band and it results in things like this, many years later.

David, 82, is a piper and former pipe major of the band for its first 30 years.

He said: “It’s absolutely great to see the band still going. Early on someone mentioned that it wouldn’t last, but I think we’ve proved that wrong!

“I have hundreds of memories, between playing and all the local events and beyond. Going to France regularly, too, is a tremendous thing for the band.

“It’s lovely just to see people joining the band, enjoying it and seeing their progress. It gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

READ MORE: A night for heroes 

And the veteran piper, who will celebrate his 83rd birthday on Friday, said he had no plans to stop playing any time soon.

“I’ll still be continuing as long as I can blow the bagpipes. I still thoroughly enjoy teaching people to play bagpipes and will keep going as long as I can,” he said.

Pipe Sergeant Ian Sutherland, chair of trustees, added: “We’re not a competing band. We are just all about community events, supporting the community and adding a bit of colour and noise to events. It’s always nice to see people’s faces when we play.”