A PIPER who played at the Queen Mother's funeral today spoke of his pride at being given the honour.

John Shaw, of Blackburn, was one of three soldiers from the Irish Guards among the pipers who accompanied the Queen Mother's cortege from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey.

With the eyes of the whole country upon him, the 24-year-old former Witton Park High School pupil played as the cortege wound its way through the capital and as it began its final journey to Windsor, and admitted it was the most nerve-racking day of his life.

John said the honour bestowed on him means he was the first member of his regiment to play at three consecutive royal occasions, after he played at Trooping the Colour and the Queen Mother's 100th birthday in August 2000.

The Irish Guards were a favourite of the Queen Mother and she had asked them to be involved in her funeral.

John said: "It was a piece of history and I feel very honoured that I was chosen. I was very proud - everyone in the regiment was. It was a very long day. We were up at 4.30am."

Nearly 200 pipers and drummers from 12 army regiments and two Territorial Army regiments, took part in the procession. They played the Scottish melodies The Mist-Covered Mountains of Home and My Home while leading the coffin to the funeral and the Irish lament Oft In the Stilly Night as it was moved from Westminster to the hearse.

John, who is originally from Selous Road, Witton, but now lives in Munster, Germany, where he is based, was in London on leave when the Queen Mother had died. He was called by his regiment to meticulous rehearsals at RAF Uxbridge.

Yesterday those rehearsals paid off as the regiment put on an impeccable display.

John said: "The Trooping the Colour and the 100th birthday processions were nerve-racking, but I was very nervous for this. We all concentrated extremely hard and got on with the job in hand. It was a proud moment for us all and something to tell our children and our grandchildren about."

John's family, dad -- also called John -- mum Marie and sister Catherine all watched the funeral from their homes, or places or work.

Dad John watched the procession at Car and Commercial, Blackburn, where he works. He said: "It was a fantastic thing for John to be involved in and we are all very proud of him."

John returned to Wellington Barracks, next to Buckingham Palace, following the funeral and was expected to return to Germany today.