Joy as Levenmouth community collars its own Scottie By The Sea at auction

“Postie” the giant Scottie dog is coming home to Leven thanks to a mammoth effort by locals.

The Levemouth Local Tourism Association (LLTA) collared the colourful sculpture after the community donated a massive £5,270 in just nine days.

And it means he will soon be back in post on Leven Promenade, where he was situated during a 10-week art trail.

Postcards From Fife, or Postie to locals, was one of 30 huge sculptures that formed the Scotties By The Sea trail.

All were auctioned off in aid of Maggie’s Dundee on Thursday evening, raising a massive £256,000.

LLTA treasurer Rebecca Moncrieff said every donation counted, with Postie sparking a fierce bidding war.

“It was a definite fast-paced, ping pong battle and we eventually got him for £5,000,” she said.

‘Massive thank you to everybody who donated to Leven Scottie bid’

Postie was painted by artist CE Higgins and attracted hundreds of visitors to Leven during the trail.

The tourism association mooted the idea of a community purchase in a Facebook post almost a fortnight ago.

And the response from residents and business owners was overwhelmingly positive.

Bids started at £2,000 but Rebecca said: “There were already two bids on Postie at the start of the night.

“We don’t know who we were bidding against but it’s just as well we raised as much as we did.

“I’d just like to say a massive thank you to everyone who donated.

“It’s brilliant to see Postie coming back to the Prom – and it’s also great to raise such an amazing amount for Maggie’s.

“We’re delighted and excited to bring him home.”

Scotties By The Sea smashed fundraising target

All the Scotties, each designed by a different artist, were stationed around St Andrews and other north east Fife communities throughout the trail.

Organised by BID St Andrews, they brought thousands of people to the area.

Thursday’s auction at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews attracted both in-person and online bids.

And it smashed the original £150,000 fundraising target.

Annie Long, Maggie’s Dundee fundraising manager, said: “This is an amazing boost to our income which will allow us to continue to help people in Tayside and north east Fife with cancer.”