Elvis Honoured By Presley Tartan

A special Presley tartan has been designed to honour the King of Rock and Roll's north east of Scotland roots. Elvis's alleged roots can be traced back to tiny Lonmay in Aberdeenshire.

Now an official Presley of Lonmay tartan has been invented. It is made up of four different colours - blue, grey, green and yellow. The kilt even comes complete with a sporran engraved with thistles and a bald eagle - marking the Scottish and American link. Lonmay's only hotel now plans to deck itself out in the tartan in recognition of the Elvis connection.

The Presley of Lonmay tartan inventor, Mike King, is a known tartan designer and director of the Aberdeen menswear and tartan hire family firm Philip King. He hopes the Presley of Lonmay tartan will win fans throughout the world. Mr King, 59, said: "I am very proud of this Presley of Lonmay tartan as I bought his records when I was younger and am a fan. "We used blue to represent the nearby town of Peterhead - the Blue Toon - as well as grey for the skies, green for countryside grass, and yellow for local cornfields. "The sporran is gold and engraved with thistles and a bald eagle to show the Scottish and American link."

David Gibbins, owner of Lonmay's Ban-Car Hotel, said: "It's a great idea and I wish the kilt maker luck. It's a nice tartan. We are refurbishing our lounge so we plan to use the Presley of Lonmay tartan to re-decorate."

Ian Hainey, Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board's spokesman, said: "Hopefully this is the start of entrepreneurs and local businesses moving in to take advantage of the Elvis link and help tourism in the area."