A NATIONWIDE tour of a venerable football trophy kicked off in Aviemore when primary pupils got their hands on the famous Scottish Cup.
The world's oldest national trophy paid a visit to the school last week, when youngsters got to hold the silverware and have their photograph taken with it.
It was first held aloft in 1873-74 by inaugural winners Queen's Park.
Pupil Megan Carroll said: "I was really proud to see the Scottish Cup in our school. It felt very heavy, and it was amazing to know it is over 130 years old."
Fellow pupil Sean Carson said: "It was exciting for the cup to be here, because we have only seen it on TV, then we actually had it in our school."
Head teacher Rona Smith said it was great that the pupils had been able to see the cup up close.
She said: "The SFA contacted me about the tour of the Scottish Cup, and I was very happy to agree for it to visit the school, especially as we have so many children who love football.
"Each class had their photograph taken with the trophy, as did our Soccer Sevens pupils, and Alistair Stirling, who takes the after-school football club.
"It was an honour to be the first school that the cup visited on its tour, and it was a privilege for our children to see the oldest cup in Scottish football.
"Many will never forget this experience, and we hope that in the future some of the children might even get their hands on the trophy again - by playing for a team that wins the Scottish Cup!"
In the afternoon, the Scottish Cup visited the slopes of CairnGorm Mountain, where Dundee United fan Ross Barrett-Ayers got to hold it.
His team are the current holders, after beating Dingwall's Ross County 3-0 in the final on May 15 last year.
The trophy is also calling in at just three other primary schools - in Inverness, Buckie and Aberdeen - as part of its tour of the North of the country.
