A piper has issued a desperate plea to find his bagpipes after he feared they were stolen.
Jamie Swainston, 46, was performing a gig in the city centre but said his distinct red bagpipes later stolen.
The last place the pipes was in his taxi heading home from Rusty's bar on Sunday evening, he said.
He said: "These bagpipes are not your average bagpipes - they are my bagpipes.
"I had them made for me. I am absolutely destitute. Someone, somewhere must know where my bagpipes are."
In a bid to find them, Jamie, of Chilton, County Durham, has been frantically searching for the pipes to find out if anyone has found them.
"I have phoned the police and phoned Newcastle City Council to see if anyone has handed them in," he said. "But there has been no luck."
Jamie, who has played the bagpipes since he was 12, is devastated by the loss of his pipes.
"I am totally devastated as these pipes were a major part of my life as I have played this instrument since the age of 12," he said. "They have helped me to overcome stress and anxiety and have contributed to my wellbeing."
Jamie and his bagpipes will be familiar to people attending veteran events in the North East, recently playing at the Sunderland Armed Forces weekend.
"I have played at a number of Armed Forces events for free over the years and I am the official piper for Veterans Response CIC which is based in South Shields," he said.
The pipes are also part of Jamie's livelihood as he has been building up a business to become a full time events piper, by playing at weddings and funerals.
"Because of this loss, I am no longer able to continue with my business idea," he said. "I have bookings that I have had to cancel due to this."
In bid to continue performing, Jamie has set up a crowdfunding campaign to buy a replacement set of pipes.
"I am looking to purchase another set of bagpipes secondhand so I can continue to pursue my dream and do something I really enjoyed, and I am very passionate about," he said.
