A legendary war hero from Largs has passed away at the age of 95.

Duncan Currie, a former Lancaster Bomber navigator, was guest of honour at the Viking Festival celebrations two years ago when one of the former planes flew overhead and tipped its wing in recognition at the veteran as he proudly saluted on Largs seafront.

The veteran is well known in the Largs area, and was also one of the founder members of the RNLI Station in Largs and was also an active member of Largs Sailing Club.

Duncan flew in a number of squadrons including 9 and jointly with 617

Duncan also flew missions on Operation Manna – dropping tons of food into famine-struck areas of Holland towards the end of the conflict.

Born on Bute, he joined the RAF aged 17 and did his basic flying training in Tiger Moths in England. Duncan later trained as a navigator in Canada before returning to the UK.

And in 2008, the Largs and Millport Weekly News brought together Duncan and the late Jan De Vries, an internationally renowned nutritionist, and Jan personally thanked Duncan for helping in the liberation of Holland at the end of World War Two.

Duncan, who then lived in St Columba's Court in Largs, recalled how they risked life and limb to fly through Nazi airspace and released food packages from the warplanes which had been specially fitted with the deliveries as opposed to guns.

Former Largs shopkeeper and lifeboatman Duncan recalled the delivery of food parcels. He said: “There was an arrangement in place with the Germans to fly in 1944 to Holland but there was nothing taken for granted. They could have fired us down. We had no armoury on board and the planes were fitted so we could release food packages rather than bombs.

"We could see the people on the ground scrambling for the food as we flew overhead. “it was milk, beef, chocolate, everything. I never realised just how desperate things had become down there."

Jan said: "We were so grateful to these people such as Duncan. I can never ever thank them enough for what they did. The time of 1944 I would never ever like to see again - it was an awful, awful time.”

Towards the end of the Second World War Duncan was transferred to India to prepare for operations in the Burma Campaign and Duncan enjoyed a flight down memory lane in 2014 when he got the opportunity to return to the hot seat of a Lancaster bomber.

"The drone of the engines was music to my ears” was how he described the opportunity at the Scottish Air Show.

Duncan added: "“Being in the cockpit of the Lancaster after all those years was like being at home."

Members of the Largs branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland were sad to hear of the passing of local Hero Flight Lieutenant Duncan Currie.

Secretary Stuart Rumble said: "The Branch were proud to bring Duncan from the Care Home in Ardrossan to see the flypast of the Lancaster Bomber at the Viking Festival two years ago, and treat him and friends to a meal.

"We all salute you Sir. Stand Down, Duty done.

"We thank you for your Service for us and Country."