THREE generations of bagpipe players are bringing the Scottish tradition to Halstead.

Robert Adams, from Halstead, has been entertaining locals with his piping skills for more than 30 years and has even taken his tunes overseas.

He said: "I started playing the bagpipes after my father, Jock Adam, took me to a highland gathering near London way back when I was 18 years old.

"I loved the sound of the Massed pipe bands, almost 400 strong, and very soon l was playing in the same pipe band as my Father.

"Over the last 36 years l have travelled to many parts of the world with my pipes.

"Wherever I go on holiday I always take my pipes, I even played them in the Maldives last year.

"Last year I joined the Colchester pipes and drums and at the end of October had the honour of playing at the Menin Gate in Ypres .

"I have played with bands from Florida, Germany, Spain, Paris, Ireland.

"Most bands I have played in are competing pipe bands."

Robert and his band even managed to get to the final in the World Pipe Band Competition in Glasgow in the 1990's.

His piping career doesn't just stop at competitions, he has also performed at a number of events including outside number 10 Downing Street and Remembrance events.

"Earlier in the year we supported the Royal Marines and Paras in a march down Whitehall to 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition for a soldier who was never awarded his Bravery Medal in the Falklands War.

"My piping friend Brendan and I piped the Halstead Town football players on to the pitch on the Saturday of the Remembrance weekend."

One of the events Robert and his piping are infamous for in Halstead is the New Year piping march.

Each year he marches through the town playing traditional songs on his bagpipes at midnight.

"I first played my pipes at the top of the town on New Year’s Eve about seven years ago, and was so pleased with how the local people enjoyed it l thought I would try to play the next year, and that’s how it started.

"It’s so lovely to see all the people young and old singing and dancing together to see the New Year in.

"I normally let people know I’m going to play by putting a message on Facebook a few days before Christmas.

"I hope next New Year we can get even more people to join us and you never know we might even learn the words to Auld Lang Syne."

Piping is now in its third generation for the Adams family as Robert's daughter Casey, 12, has also taken up the instrument.

Casey played her Scottish small pipes with her father last year at the top of the town on New Year’s Eve.

Robert said: "When we finished playing she said she felt like a pop star as lots of people were wanting selfies with her."

Roberts second daughter Lily, 8, is also musical and plays the tenor drums.

"I really hope that both my girls can keep up their playing and get to see all of the places and people l have over the years."