AC/DC singer's statue unveiled at BonFest

A life-sized statue of AC/DC singer Bon Scott has been unveiled at the annual Angus festival held in his honour.

This year's BonFest in the rock star's home town of Kirriemuir was expected to attract more than 4,000 fans.

The bronze statue is the result of a two-year crowdfunding campaign which drew support from the band itself.

Former AC/DC bass player Mark Evans officially unveiled the £45,000 statue at the event.

Mr Evans said it was a "surreal feeling" to be in Kirriemuir for the occasion.

He said: "It's very emotional, too. I always speak of Bon in the present tense. I feel he's still around.

"To have something like this that's been funded by the fans, the people that he held in his heart is just great.

"It's just fantastic, it's a really warming experience."

Born Ronald Belford Scott, the singer lived in Kirriemuir until the age of six, when his family left Scotland for Australia in 1952, eventually settling in Freemantle.

He was asked to join the band by Glasgow-born brothers and founding members Malcolm and Angus Young in 1974 and achieved international stardom before his death at the age of 33 in 1980.

The festival, now in its tenth year, which begins on Friday, will feature tribute bands from across Europe.

Tony Currenti, who drummed on AC/DC's debut album and Mary Renshaw, Bon Scott's seamstress, also helped unveil the statue on Saturday.

BonFest chairman John Crawford said: "It's going to be a lasting memorial for Bon.

"There's a statue in Freemantle that draws a lot of visitors and attention so it would be good to have that in Kirriemuir as a permanent memorial."