THE funeral of former first minister Alex Salmond took place today at Strichen Parish Church near his Aberdeenshire home.

The private service, held ahead of a future public memorial, was attended by family and friends as well as colleagues from the Alba Party which he founded and led, including chairwoman Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh and acting leader Kenny MacAskill.

They were joined by former SNP colleagues, including former MPs Jim Sillars and Joanna Cherry, as well as MSPs Annabelle Ewing and her brother Fergus Ewing, and his former chief-of-staff Geoff Aberdein.

In a eulogy to his lifelong friend, Mr MacAskill called him “a giant of a man, the leader of our country, the leader of our movement.”

A motion of condolence will be led by First Minister John Swinney in Holyrood on Wednesday.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The First Minister and Cabinet recorded their sympathies to Mr Salmond’s wife Moira and their wider family.”