An East Lothian community is getting geared up to celebrate their area's role as the home of the saltire.

Legend has it that an ancient Scottish king first saw the cross of Saint Andrew in the skies above the village of Athelstaneford just before a battle. Now residents are commemorating those historic links as part of the year of Homecoming. 

At the end of next month East Lothian will host a day of events in and around Haddington as part of the Homecoming Scotland Finale Celebrations.

Event Organiser Stuart Nisbet explained: "King Angus, who was a local king of the Picts and the Scots had a battle against the Northumbrians right here.

"Badly outnumbered, and on the night before the battle the sign of Saint Andrew, the white cross, appeared in the sky and he swore on that cross that if God gave him victory the next day then Saint Andrew would become the patron saint of Scotland.

"He gave them victory the next day, and that symbol is now the symbol of the Scottish nation, and all its people whereever they are."

The events will celebrate the saltire's journey from its semi-mythical birth in east Lothian to becoming the symbol of the Scottish nation. The army's Golden Lions parachute team will jump with the flag over the battlefield at Athelstaneford Ford before it is carried by the riders through the countryside to St Mary's Kirk in Haddington, where it will be met by a local school choir.

The Saltire celebration is just one of 40 special events which will take place around the last weekend in November. It is being labelled Scotland's biggest ever St Andrews do and will officially mark the end of the year of Homecoming.