A talented local teenager has been clocking up Facebook likes during lockdown with his online music sessions.

Liam McIntosh (14), a third year pupil at The Gordon Schools initially took to his drum shed to break the monotony of home schooling but is now a regular on the Lockdown Live Aberdeenshire music sessions.

At the outset, the teenager, unknown to his mum Viv and dad Peter, was playing to a small audience of family and friends to cheer them up through the long days of lockdown.

But his popularity has grown since he secured a slot on Lockdown Live Aberdeenshire. His first appearance on Sunday, May 10 has now been watched by over 3500 people.

Last week he played an hour long showcase after stepping in at the last minute to help out the organiser.

Viv said: "We have received endless messages, and lovely comments of support which has been quite overwhelming for us as parents. "

Liam said: "For a start I went out to the shed to practice for a break from school work then thought I would do a wee bit live. I did it through Mum's Facebook as she has plenty friends that would appreciate the music and share it with their friends."

A member of the North East Fiddle Club that meets in Keith and a drummer with Huntly Pipe Band for the past five year, Liam plays along to a CD of music by the Leonard Brown All Star Band whose drummer, Malcolm Ross is his inspiration.

Liam plays at ceilidhs with George Rennie from Banff, Matthew Paterson from Dufftown and along with many other friends regularly attends the weekly summer ceilidhs in Dufftown.

The teenager has been playing the drums since he could hold a pair of sticks, learning at the knee of his late grandfather, Sandy Milne, who was drum sergeant in Huntly Pipe Band.

Viv said: "Dad was always delighted to encourage him and even made him a carrier for an old drum. As young as three years old he would go along to pipe band practice and stand in the corner with his drum pad and sticks and practice."