The Star: July 11, 2019

The Star Thursday July 11 2019
4
NEWS
news online at www.star.kiwi
After losing hat Jim scores rugby shirt
• By Louis Day
SUPPORT FOR 89-year-old
Scotsman Jim McLachlan
has been flooding in after his
precious tartan hat was stolen.
Mr McLachlan was on his way
home from the pub on his mobility
scooter when a cyclist swiped
the hat from his head.
The tartan hat was sent to him
from Scotland by his mother 50
years ago.
Since The Star reported on the
incident last week, people across
the country have offered their
support to the Glaswegian.
The Highlanders have sent
Mr McLachlan, who has been a
supporter since their inception in
1996, a game-worn jersey.
“We felt for Jim after hearing
his story and thought it would be
nice to reward him for his continued
and proud support of the
Highlanders, even while living
in Christchurch,” said marketing
manager Amanda Gould.
“We sent him a game-worn
number 16 home jersey, usually
first off the bench to back up the
team when they start to tire as
he’s the kind of man we’d like
to be able to call on – a staunch
southern man.”
Mr McLachlan proudly flies a
Highlanders flag on his mobility
scooter and suspected his affiliation
with them had something to
do with the theft.
“It might have been one of
those Crusaders supporters, they
are pretty one-eyed. I have been
dealing with this kind of thing
since the Super 12 started,” he
said.
He thought the new jersey was
a “beauty.”
He was also a big fan of his new
herringbone cheese cutter sent
from Auckland hat manufacturer
Hatworx.
Christchurch’s Devon Marriot
said he is organising a mini-concert
for Mr McLachlan where he
will be treated to a performance
from Scottish band, Saltire.
“I was heartbroken for him. I’m
a Highlanders supporter myself
and one day I will be in a mobility
scooter and I just thought he
needed something to cheer him
up,” he said.
Owner of the Scottish Shop in
Dunedin Erin Hogan has also
sent Mr McLachlan a brand new
tartan hat.
“I just took it straight off the shelf
after I read the article,” she said.
Eighty-five-year-old John
SUPPORT: Jim
McLachlan has
gone from an
angry to a happy
Scotsman after he
was sent a gameworn
Highlanders
jersey following
the theft of his
precious tartan
hat. PHOTOS:
MARTIN HUNTER
McDougal of Christchurch has
also offered Mr McLachlan his
own tartan hat which he bought
60 years ago.
“If he wants it, he can have it,’’
Mr McDougal said.
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