Scores lined the streets of Alness today as a cortege of sports cars passed through the town as the local community came together to bid farewell to a teenager tragically killed in a car crash.
Craig Melville was a back-seat passenger of a blue Audi RS4 when it was involved in a crash on the B9176 Struie Road near the Fyrish substation junction on Saturday March 27 around 9.30pm.
The 16-year-old tragically died as a result of the crash with two others hospitalised.
Craig’s family described him as “a loving son, grandson, boyfriend, nephew, cousin and friend” who was “much loved and is dearly missed”.
Today, dozens came out in cold weather to pay their respects to the 16-year-old and his family.
Shoppers and shop keepers joined mourners on the streets in between heavy snow showers in the Ross-shire town as the funeral procession made its way through the High Street.
A number of vehicles followed the cortege as the town fell silent.
Sports cars organised as way of paying respects
Kevin MacLennan, organiser of the cortege and Craig’s boss at Dornoch MOT Centre, anticipated a “difficult day for everybody” prior to the funeral procession.
He said the idea for high-performance cars to line the streets had generated from Craig’s family.
Earlier this week, he said: “I think people have really taken to it as they see it as their way of paying their respects to Craig and the family.
“It is going to be a hard, hard day for the family. I hope that by seeing the community come together and pay their respects, it will really help on what is going to be a tough day.
“Alness is one of those small communities that when there is tragedy, everybody seems to pull together.
“It will be a difficult day for everybody and in these types of occasions you have to put the family first and they are very much in our thoughts.”
‘Much loved and dearly missed’: Family pay tribute to teen who died in Highland crash
Others have shown support by donating towards a gofundme fundraiser for Craig’s family with more than £6,300 generated.
Organiser Sophie Dickson, a lifelong friend of Craig, started the fundraiser alongside his cousin Shannon Daw.
She said the loss of her friend “Wee Craig” had “flipped their worlds upside down,” adding that he will be “dearly missed”.
Ms Dickson said her friend was “was very cheerful, full of energy and a massive comedian”.
“He was always up to no good to get everybody to laugh,” she added.