Family and friends of Alex Salmond, including Alba colleague Kenny MacAskill, stood in a silent guard of honour for the former first minister. Once the coffin is loaded into the hearse by the funeral director, the friends and family get into a black car.

The body of former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has been brought back to Scotland on a private jet, six days after the politician died suddenly in North Macedonia.

The body of former first minister Alex Salmond has landed in Scotland.The flight, which was paid for by businessman Sir Tom Hunter, touched down at Aberdeen Airport just before 2pm UK time.The coffin left North Macedonia just after 10.

Businessman Sir Tom Hunter has confirmed he paid for the chartered flight which will return Alex Salmond’s body to Scotland on Friday. The former first minister of Scotland died aged 69 after suffering a heart attack in the city of Ohrid, North Macedonia, on Saturday, where he was attending a conference.

Alex Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014 and was leader of the Scottish National Party on two occasions.

Mr Salmond's wife Moira was sat inside a funeral car during the short ceremony at the airport. A small group of people with saltire flags had gathered near the terminal building ahead of the flight's arrival.

The plane carrying the body of the former first minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has taken off from North Macedonia, bound for Aberdeen. Mr Salmond died on Saturday from a heart attack while speaking at a conference in the city of Ohrid in the country’s south west.

Alex Salmond's body is to be brought back to Scotland on Friday, the Alba Party has confirmed. The former first minister died of a heart attack on Saturday while attending a conference in North Macedonia.