MEMBERS of the Largs History Group have helped to solve a 113-year-old mystery around graffiti found in a Largs loft.

Alan Williamson found the board, into which is chalked ‘P Mackie plumber 1907’ in the loft of his new flat in Seamore Street.

He posted the picture in the popular history group's Facebook page - and discovered that man in question was a local war hero.

Alan said: “We just moved into the flat at the start of the month, and we were throwing stuff away up the loft when we spotted it.

“I put the picture online to see if anyone local knew anything about it.

“One of the local guys came back straight away and gave me more information than I could ever need.

“I believe Mr Plumber's name is on the cenotaph in town, and my great uncle is also on it, so I might go down and have a nosey.

“I’m definitely not going to cover it up and will make sure it stays on show, I could let people see when they come to the house but you would need a head for heights.”

Group member Ian McIntosh uncovered the history of the plumber Peter Mackie - and revealed his interesting past.

He said: “This I suspect is a quite remarkable and historical piece as Peter Mackie was a plumber who was born in Largs in 1891.

“His father was a joiner and Peter joined the Regular Army having enlisted in the Second Life Guards in January 1910.

“Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War he was promoted to the rank of Corporal of Horse in August 1914 and he went to France and joined his unit in October 1914.

“He was wounded, and his horse killed as a result of a German shell and he returned to the front in November 1916, but was invalided home due to ill health after a month in the field.

“He continued to serve as a Musketry Instructor near Cambridge and died of bronco pneumonia on October 21 1918 aged 27. He is buried in Largs Cemetery.”

Alan says the group has been a great addition to the lives of local residents, and says it is fascinating to see pictures from the last hundreds of years in the town.

He said: “I have been on the history group for about six weeks and it is fantastic, there are so many photos from when I was a child.

“I’m going to fish out some of my old pictures as well and put them up for people to talk about like they do for everything.

“It’s fascinating to see all these old pictures, and everyone on the group seems to have a personal connection which is great to see.

“It is a lot different from the usual stuff you get on Facebook, sometimes you wonder if it is all true but it definitely is.”