Bagpipes stolen from Skerryvore's car in Australia during tour returned by 'good Samaritan'

A ‘good Samaritan’ has helped a Scottish band locate their stolen bagpipes after their car was broken into in Australia.

Skerryvore had just come to the end of their Australian tour, having played at Melbourne’s Celtic Festival on Monday, when it was discovered their car had been broken into.

Shattered glass from the car’s windows was pictured on the ground in a social media post, as the band made a heartfelt plea for the precious items, including a set of bagpipes and a USA Sunburst Fender Telecaster, to be returned.

On Thursday, the band said their ‘faith in humanity had been restored’ after a radio listener discovered the pipes in an alleyway.

The musical instrument is now in the care of Willy Hutton, a member of Irish/Scots band Claymore based in Melbourne.

The band's USA Sunburst Fender Telecaster is still missing. — The band’s USA Sunburst Fender Telecaster is still missing. Instagram

In a social media post, the band said, “This is just incredible… the bagpipes have been found!”

“Spotted in an alley by 3AW Melbourne listener and good Samaritan Tony who contacted the show… who contacted us… and now in the safe hands of Willy Hutton from Claymore.”

While the guitar is still missing, the band went on to thank the people of Melbourne for their “incredible support” after being told of locals visiting pawn shops to track down the band’s precious instruments.

The post continued: “Alec’s guitar is sadly still very much at large… but we are ever more confident of it being found thanks to the truly incredible support from the people of Melbourne and beyond, local radio stations, newspapers, businesses and bands all helping out and people literally walking the streets and visiting pawn shops out of the kindness of their hearts.

“This really does help to restore faith in humanity.”