The biggest star in the world Elvis Presley touched down at Prestwick airport 61 years ago today - and according to sources didn't know where he was.
Ironically Elvis was 'coming home' in many people's eyes as its since been revealed that the Pressleys of Lonmay near Fraserburgh were linked to the Presleys of Tupelo, Mississippi where Elvis was born.
Andrew Presley, a blacksmith, from Lonmay, near Buchan, Aberdeenshire had a son also called Andrew and emigrated to New Bern, North Carolina at the time of the Jacobite rebellion (1745/46) where he worked as a blacksmith.
In America, Andrew had a son, also called Andrew, born around 1765, and his lineage can be traced forward 200 years to a shack in Tupelo, Mississippi, where Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley on January 8 1935.
Elvis who was in the army at that time from March 1958 and March 1960, was returning from Germany and his his plane stopped at Prestwick Airport for a much needed re-fuelling break.
Although his visit wasn't properly publicised ,some fans and a reporter found out and were there to greet him as he stepped onto the tarmac.
As he walked down the stairs of his plane, Elvis is supposed to have said:"Where am I?"
Thankfully the crowd of girls who had rushed to the airport to catch glimpse shouted out to him 'Prestwick'
Prestwick airport in 1960 was a very different airport to how it is now.
Then it was home of the for the 1631 US Airforce unit and as soon as Elvis, then a sergeant touched down and met some fans - who were held back by the military police form touching him - and two journalists.
He told one of them Ian Nelson: "I kind of like the idea of Scotland. I’m going to do a European tour and it would be nice to come back here."
He was rushed to a nearby officers mess which is now known as the Adamton House Hotel and his visit in total lasted just ninety minutes.
The airport now has a bar named after him and the hotel boasts a plaque which marks the King’s visit there.
All the photos taken during the short visit were by Ian Ghee, official photographer for Scottish Aviation Limited.
The Prestwick visit is reckoned to be the only time Elvis set foot on UK soil before he passed away i n1977.
