Journalist Ian recalls childhood holidays in his latest BBC TV series

The veteran reporter- and his trusty guide dog Major, pictured above- were given permission to come aboard the RNLI Girvan Lifeboat as they took to the high seas on a special exercise.

A spokesperson for the RNLI Girvan Lifeboat crew said: “Girvan Lifeboat’s volunteer crew had the pleasure of welcoming Ian Hamilton aboard our Shannon Class Lifeboat, where we launched on a special exercise.”

The Ayrshire town will feature in the first of a new series of My Kind of Town and Ian recalls many a happy holiday he spent there as a child.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Once a busy seaside town where Ian himself spent many a happy holiday, he returns after a 40-year break to see how the town is doing.

“Among the stops on Ian’s tour is a ride around the boating pond he last went on as a child and the town’s yearly folk music festival.

“Ian and Major also visit a variety of staple town businesses, reflecting its holiday and agricultural heritage and he speaks to locals about how the town has changed over the years.”

The new run of BBC Scotland series My Kind of Town, featuring Girvan, will go out later this year.