The haunting skirl of the pipes was heard in Hitchin's London Road last
night, when bagpiper Andrew Weymouth was so moved by news of the Queen's death that he decided to play a touching lament.

The Zambian-born retired civil engineer said: "When the announcement was made, I was overcome by a sudden swell of sadness, a feeling that the nation had lost a huge reserve of wisdom.

"I know she loved the sound of the pipes and wanted to do something to express my sense of loss.

"I felt I really needed to play a couple of tunes to honour Her Majesty and decided on a medley of Going Home, Dark Island and Amazing Grace."

Andrew keenly recalls the coronation when he was growing up in Ndola - which was then Northern Rhodesia.

The Comet: Her Majesty the Queen has died at the age of 96Her Majesty the Queen has died at the age of 96 (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/PA Images)

He said: "It's one of my clearest childhood memories - the town was ablaze with Union Jacks and red, white and blue bunting. Schools were allowed out to take part in the celebrations. My dad's car sported a flag on its bonnet and it was all great fun.

"Over the years I've followed the ups and downs of the Royal family but the Queen has never once wavered in her attitude and conduct, nor her devotion to her family and the Realm."

He admitted he had a sense of foreboding when he saw how frail she was receiving the new Prime Minister earlier this week: "I knew something was seriously amiss."

He added: "I was privileged to play at the lighting of the Jubilee beacon at St Paul's Walden Bury in June and I am so glad I played for her last night.

"It was my own personal tribute to a woman who is truly irreplaceable."