FAT BOB and Soapy Soutar widnae believe it, but could two Canadian air force jackets for sale in a Fife antique shop really have belonged to their pal?

According to a note in the inside pocket of one, the blazers which have turned up in Kingdom Antiques in Cupar belonged to Ron Low.

And Ron Low was the inspiration for Oor Wullie. Ron’s father was R. D. Low, the creator of the iconic Sunday Post character and The Broons.

As a child he was sketched by Oor Wullie artist Dudley D Watkins.

It is well documented that, from the child who gave rise to one of Scotland’s best-loved rascals, Ron grew up to be both a qualified surgeon and a pilot.

It certainly appears that the jackets belonged to him, but how they ended up in the shop in Bonnygate is something of a mystery.

Owner Ken Robb said a militaria collector from RAF Leuchars had picked them up as part of a lot of medals, but the jackets were surplus to his requirements.

He wonders whether the blazers had been put up for sale by the family of Ron’s second wife, Mary Dutch.

He said, “The interest in these in terms of militaria will be reasonably high, but in terms of the Oor Wullie connection it should be phenomenal.

“When the jackets came in, by quirk of fate I had two Canadian ladies in who were attending a wedding and I told them the connection with Oor Wullie.

“I expected to get blank faces but they said, ‘We know Oor Wullie.’ ”

According to the note, as well as being a squadron leader in Royal Canadian Air Force Ron was commanding officer of the Demons Aerobatic Team—Canada’s version of the Red Arrows.

He had studied medicine at St Andrews University and worked as a locum in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, and as a GP in Loch-inver.

He passed away in Helensburgh in 1992.

David Donaldson, managing editor of D. C. Thomson Ltd, publisher of Oor Wullie and The Broons, confirmed that Ron Low was the man behind the spikey-haired boy.

He said, “He certainly was the inspiration for Oor Wullie.

“R. D., or Bert, Low based most of his characters on close family members. There are certain characters in the Broons who were based on his own relations, including Gran’paw Broon,” he added.

“How they all came about would make a book in itself.”

It was recently revealed that Oor Wullie’s arch enemy PC Murdoch was based on a constable who pounded the streets of St Andrews during the second world war.

PC Sandy Marnoch, who weighed more than 20 stones, had served alongside Watkins as a reserve constable.