The sole Highland piper sported shorts and a T-shirt

Musicians from all over Europe have gathered near Linford Manor for the two-day 10th Annual Bagpipe Festival.

Workshops on piping techniques, presentations on the history of piping, performances and dances and even second-hand bagpipes on sale are all part of the programme.

Organisers say the image of the bagpipes is much-maligned and a bit misunderstood.

We're not so taken with it in this country. We tend to be a bit embarrassed and laugh at things like Morris Dancing and folk music Ruth Bramley

One of those attending, Ruth Bramley, from Cambridgeshire, said: "Everyone always tends to think of Highland bagpipers in kilts when you mention piping.

"But there's actually only one Highland piper here and no kilts, he's wandering around in shorts and a T-shirt.

"There are lots of different types of pipes - French, Northumbrian, Canadian, some are bellow-operated others are mouth-blown.

"They all have the drone but they all sound very different - there's a lot of different beautiful sounds.

"We're not so taken with it in this country. We tend to be a bit embarrassed and laugh at things like Morris Dancing and folk music.

Tolerant neighbours

"It's different in the rest of Europe. They are more proud of the history, and consider it to be important, rather than something to be laughed at."

Mrs Bramley does not play the pipes herself but husband Robert, one of the Bagpipe Society event organisers, does.

"He's been learning for about a year. We're used to it in the house, I like it.

"I play the hurdy-gurdy and we have teenage sons who play brass instruments, so our neighbours are quite tolerant - as you would imagine."