A woman who queued for 10 hours in the snow outside the new Krispy Kreme shop in Inverness has won a year’s supply of doughnuts.
Kelly Anderson, 36, arrived in Inverness at midnight after she took a bus from Fort William and went straight to the new store.
“I brought a chair with me, so I have just been sitting here all night,” she told the P&J at 9am, one hour before the opening.
Her passion for Krispy Kreme doughnuts made the 10-hour wait in the cold worthwhile, while an amber weather warning for snow remains in force in the Highlands.
Ms Anderson, who was shivering for the whole time she spoke to us, said: “It was not too cold before 5am, but then it started to snow and the temperature plunged to –4C.”
The brave doughnut lover continued: “That was the worst time, and I was tempted to go home, but I decided to stay since I had made it that far.”
She explained that only three other people came overnight to try getting the sugary award.
“One person came at 1am and sat for 2 hours but then decided it was too cold and went home. There was also someone at 3:30am and at 6:30am but since they saw I was already here; they also left,” she said.
Fort William woman wins a year’s supply of Krispy Kreme doughnuts
The much-awaited moment arrived as the first Krispy Kreme shop in the Highlands opened its doors at 10am.
Finally, Kelly made her triumphant entrance into the warm shop and received a dozen free doughnuts and a golden ticket, which entitles her to a dozen free doughnuts a month for a year.
She said: “I’m excited to try new flavours. Krispy Kreme’s are the only doughnuts I eat.”
But she will not eat all the 144 doughnuts, as she is planning to share them with her friends.
She explained: “I am a volunteer at the Lochaber Food Bank in Fort William and I will take some for the other volunteers.
“My friends like them quite a bit too so I am going to take a pile home to share.”
New Inverness Krispy Kreme will be ‘good for the city’
Mike Pyper, manager at the new Krispy Kreme shop in Inverness, said that he was delighted for Ms Anderson.
He said: “I’m delighted for her; I would have done the same. It shows how exciting people are about what’s happening.”
He also told the P&J he is “over the moon” with the opening of the store.
Mr Pyper said: I am so excited. This is very good for the city of Inverness and the High Street.
“It has also boosted the creation of jobs as we have a team of 10 employees.”