Fans gather to say goodbye to sporting legend Chuck Hay

Friends, family and sports fans have paid tribute to curling legend Charles “Chuck” Hay MBE.

A special celebration of his life was held at Dewars Centre in Perth, the rinks where Mr Hay regularly played.

Scores of people gathered to say goodbye to the former world curling champion.

Mr Hay, who died at the start of the month aged 87, was an entrant in the World Curling Hall of Fame.

Mr Hay and his rink won the Scotch Cup in Perth in 1967.

He went on to collect silver medals in the World Curling Championships in 1963, 1966 and 1968.

In 2011, he was awarded the coveted Elmer Freytag Award for services to curling.

Mr Hay, a former Perth Academy pupil who grew up on the family farm at Rhynd, went on to hold offices in the Royal Caledonian Curling Club and in the organisation of the World Curling Championships.

Last year, he contributed to the World Curling Federation’s 50th anniversary book.

World Curling Federation president Kate Caithness said: “On behalf of the World Curling Federation and the curling community in Scotland and the world at large, it is with deep sadness, that I express our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Chuck.

“Chuck was instrumental in the early days of the Scotch Cup and establishing the roots of the international competition our sport enjoys so widely today. “He will be sorely missed.” Mr Hay was also a keen golfer and a member at Blairgowrie and Royal Perth. Latterly, he and his wife Norah toured Australia, South Africa and Chile as members of the UK Seniors Golfers’ Society.