Tributes have been paid to a minister who devoted almost 40 years to the Church of Scotland.
The Rev Douglas Clyne, 67, died suddenly on Monday after he pulled his car off the road at Elgin because he felt unwell.
He suffered a heart attack and was pronounced dead at Dr Gray’s Hospital in the town.
Mr Clyne was the minister at Fraserburgh Old Parish Church for 31 years, before taking up the role of pastoral assistant at Old High St Stephen’s Church, in Inverness.
His last service was on Sunday. He also co-ordinated the Watch Night celebration at St Stephen’s on Christmas Eve.
Paying tribute to Mr Clyne, the Rev Peter Nimmo, the minister at Old High St Stephen’s Church, said: “He was a very lively, energetic man. Douglas was a friendly person, the model for what a parish minister in the Church of Scotland should be.
“He was welcoming, enthusiastic and enjoyed working with people. He will be fondly remembered by congregations in Fraserburgh and Inverness.”
Willie Morrison, a parishioner who heard Mr Clyne’s last sermon, said: “He preached a very lighthearted sermon on Sunday, the day before he died. He was his usual bubbly self. It was very sad to hear of his death.”
Born in Inverness, Mr Clyne was brought up in the Hilton area of the city and was a pupil at Crown Primary School and the original Inverness Royal Academy.
While working as an accountant for Inverness-shire County Council, Mr Clyne played the organ at St Mary’s Church, at Dalneigh – an experience that inspired him to become a Church of Scotland minister. He presided over Fraserburgh Old Parish Church for more than three decades, before taking early retirement in September 2004.
The couple moved to Nairn and Mr Clyne spent the past three years as a pastoral assistant at Old High St Stephen’s Church, where his role was to visit the elderly and house-bound, as well as regularly conducting services.
He also spent a year as interim minister at the church while Mr Nimmo was away.
In 2007, Mr Clyne vigorously opposed proposals to suspend the ancient ceremony of Kirking of the Council.
During his life, Mr Clyne led more than 20 trips to the Holy Land and was next year due to lead a pilgrimage to the world-famous Passion Play held every decade at Oberammergau in Bavaria, Germany, since the mid-17th century.
He is survived by his wife and had one son, Tim.
The funeral will take place at Old High Church, Church Street, Inverness, on Wednesday, at noon, followed by a committal at Nairn Cemetery.