PICTURES: "Unbelievable" – hundreds of festive tractors join Huntly Christmas Eve run for charity
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HUNTLY'S Christmas Eve tractor run is "our tradition now", said its organiser, after hundreds made a pilgrimage in uniquely-decorated vehicles to raise thousands.
In total, 224 vehicles took part in the tractor run, with some journeying from as far as Aberdeen and Forres.
Organiser James Ingram, of Howe of Ashalloch, Corse, raised around £8000 for the RASABI agricultural mental health charity and The Archie Foundation.
"I have never seen so many folk going about Huntly – it was well impressive like," he said.
"It is always good seeing people, especially the farming community, come together.
"I knew 90 per cent of the people that were there, and I went and spoke to all of them. It's really good for us to have that.
"It is unbelievable how far folk came to watch a load of tractors with some flashing lights on.
"And just seeing all the people, young and old, that came to watch."
Mr Ingram, along with his wife Karin, decided to organise the event based at Huntly Mart three years ago as there was "not that much happening on Christmas Eve".
But now it has become "our tradition now" and he said members of the community have urged him to keep the run going.
He said: "It is the third year it has happened, and folk are saying: 'This is a tradition now, you canna stop doing it.'
"So this is our tradition now.
"We wouldn't know what to do with ourselves on Christmas Eve if we stopped now.
"As long as there are still good charities out there, we will keep doing it."
And Mr Ingram said he was "affa grateful" for the support that the community provide for the event.
"We much appreciate everything people have done to support us," he said.
"We are lucky to be so well supported, it wouldn't happen if we didn't have that.
"We're affa grateful. Folk dinna realise how much they actually do for us – we're affa fortunate."
Among those taking part in the tractor run were Mr Ingram's sister and father.
He said the pair also made a special detour on the day – taking their vehicles to The Alexander Scott's Hospital so residents were not left out of the festive tractor fun.
And the passion for the event looks like it might be being passed on to the next generation, Mr Ingram said.
His son Alistair (3) is "quite understanding about what it is all about".
And, despite having a lot to learn, nine-month-old daughter Heidi "just loves the flashing lights".
"Folk put a lot of effort into their tractors and lorries and the decorations," Mr Ingram said.
"It was worth doing like.
"We quite enjoy doing it.
"It raised a lot of money, and folk just loved it."
