A bag of human ashes from an American crematorium has been washed up on Nairn beach.
Morag Paterson made the find on the town’s East Beach while heading for her morning swim – and now hopes to lay the remains to rest.
After discovering the bag on the beach, she noticed a tag with Central Michigan Crematory Battle Creek MI printed on it and an identification number.
Ms Paterson took the bag home and contacted the US facility, which traced the number in its records and alerted the man’s family.
It is believed that the remains are those of Alfred Hopwood, who was born in the seaside town.
He was eight when he emigrated to Canada with his parents and sister, later moving to the USA.
Ms Paterson believes that when he died aged 96, a relative brought the ashes to Scotland to be scattered.
However it is thought that the bag was dropped into the Moray Firth.
Ms Paterson said: “The plan was to deposit the ashes at cemetery or crematorium here, but this apparently was not possible and so the bag was dropped into the Moray Firth at Nairn.”
Ms Paterson is now in contact with Mr Hopwood’s family in the hope that a ceremony could be organised to scatter his remains properly or bury them at Nairn.
She added: “I have learned that he loved swans and the water and lived on the riverside right where the swans gather, so it is rather lovely that he has returned here and could now be laid to rest once more in the river flowing to the sea, by the swans.
“The story is rather amazing.”