I WILL not go into the debate on whether the Stone of Destiny ("The Stone of Destiny finder lobbing directions to the girls”, The Herald, January 11, and Letters, January 12) was stolen or repatriated. Suffice to say this event of April, 1951, caused a frisson of excitement in my home town of Arbroath among the populace and certainly those of us still at school.

James Wishart, the custodian of the Abbey, was propelled into the spotlight and an aunt of mine, a next door neighbour, took to her bicycle to proclaim to all and sundry the breaking news as indeed it was.

Later that year at the local town pageant that mainly featured historical events, a float from the Arbroath Co-operative Society enacted with a tableau the return of the Stone. Neither Mr Wishart nor my aunt played themselves among the figures depicted – their 15 minutes of fame had passed.

John Macnab,

175 Grahamsdyke Street, Laurieston, Falkirk.