A teenager has described his surprise at becoming an internet sensation for using his bagpipes to blast away a noisy street preacher.
As we reported, Daniel Boyle, 14, began playing Scotland the Brave to drown out the man whose religious ranting was angering people in St Andrews on Saturday.
A crowd cheered as the schoolboy’s music overpowered the preacher, who was using a small amplifier.
Just hours after eyewitness Lachie Blair posted a video of the encounter on YouTube, it had clocked more than 620,000 hits, with over a million more on Facebook.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier today, the young piper revealed punters at the Keys Bar had convinced him to make his move.
He and dad Matthew had stopped off in the town centre on their way home to the family caravan at Kinkell Braes and customers at the bar were complaining about the hollering.
Daniel said: “People were trying to get him to be quiet. I had my bagpipes in the car and someone suggested drowning him out with them so I got them and started playing.
“There was a crowd of about 200 people and everyone started cheering. It was great.”
Locals said it was difficult to hear what the preacher was saying but that his tone was aggressive and ruining the atmosphere. A member of the public had already reported him to the police and at the end of the video a police van pulls up and an officer talks to him.
Proud Matthew was amazed at the reaction to the film online and said: “I can’t believe the power of the internet. Daniel is certainly the patron of St Andrews.”
Lachie said the piper won the battle “in the most Scottish way possible”.
Police confirmed officers were called to Market Street at about 3.30pm on Saturday to respond to a noise complaint. A spokesman said: “Officers attended and quickly resolved the matter with no arrests made.”