A BARRHEAD dad has told of his pride after his young soldier son was picked to play the pipes at the Queen’s funeral.

Jack Radford, 23, was among 10 members of the Scots Guards who performed as the monarch’s coffin was taken from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey last week.

They were part of a larger group of 100 pipers from regiments from across the UK who led the procession of a gun carriage along Pall Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall and Parliament Square before arriving at the Palace of Westminster.

The coffin was then taken into the abbey by members of the Grenadier Guards.

Jack’s proud parents Nick, 54, and Wendy, 52, were able to watch the former Barrhead High pupil on television from their hotel bedroom in Pathos, Cyprus, where they had jetted off to on holiday the week before.

Barrhead News: Jack with parents Nick and Wendy, as well as sister LucyJack with parents Nick and Wendy, as well as sister Lucy (Image: Newsquest)

The Queen’s children and grandchildren, including King Charles III, Prince William and Prince Harry, were among members of the Royal Family who walked solemnly behind the coffin as he played.

Bank worker Nick said the pipers’ moving performance of Mists of the Mountain on the way to the abbey was the culmination of almost 10 days of rehearsals.

He told the Barrhead News: “The preparations for the funeral began almost as soon as the Queen passed away.

“Jack and the other soldiers were moved down to London from Catterick.

“All of the piping regiments played at the funeral, including the Scots Guards, Irish Guards and the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

“His mum and I were thrilled and so proud when we were able to spot him on television, leading the coffin.”

Jack has previously protected the Royal Family while performing guard duty at Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Windsor Castle.

He has also worked at the Tower of London, guarding the Crown Jewels, and paraded at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday.

Jack joined the Scots Guards in 2019, having been involved in the Army Cadets in Barrhead.

He completed all of his Army piping qualifications with ‘Best in Class’ honours in March this year Following the Queen’s funeral, he returned to his base in Yorkshire and then flew out to Estonia with his fellow Scots Guards as part of a NATO deployment.

Millions of television viewers across the UK and around the world watched the Queen’s funeral but few will have experienced the feelings that washed over Jack’s family.

Nick, who is also dad to 18-year-old Lucy, added: “His mum and I had flown out to Cyprus the day before the Queen died to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.

“We were thrilled and bursting with pride when he told us he had been selected to play at the funeral.

“Jack had always wanted to join the Army and it was a real honour for him to be picked.”