A small north-east pipe band have hit the wrong note with locals and been ordered to stop practising outdoors.

The Newtonhill Pipe Band has rehearsed at the town's Primary School for 10 years.

But the local council has now informed them they will be banned from the school if they continue to practise outside.

Newtonhill Pipe band have been rehearsing at the local primary school for a decade and on hot summer evenings the band enjoy practising outdoors. Now though, theyve been ordered to pipe down.

Band Pipe Major Domhnull McLennan said: I was shocked and horrified because for over ten years on warm sunny evenings we go outside in the air out here and play to practise. Obviously pipe bands practise and play outside, pipe bands are known for playing outside, so we require to practise outside. To give the council their due we've never asked for permission but nobody's objected, in fact everybody likes it.

The band members range from just 11-75-years-old. They say the outdoor ban is bizarre and are used to hitting a higher note with the public

But Aberdeenshire Council says it has had a complaint from a nearby resident last week and contacted the band to remind them they are only permitted to practise inside the school, saying the rehearsals, clearly cause a nuisance for some neighbouring residents.