A newspaper typo misspelling the name of a famous Scottish military triumph gave a journalist the idea for a children’s book.

This year is the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in which Robert the Bruce defeated the hapless English king Edward II.

But when Alloa and Hilfoots Advertiser reporter Hamish Hutchinson spotted a story about the battle, he noticed that it had been spelled ‘Bannockbun.’

It gave him an idea for a children’s book in which the famous battle becomes a bun-fight involving cream cakes and scones rather than bows and arrows.

Hamish has now published ‘The Battle of Bannockbun’ as a book to coincide with the anniversary.

His version of the story sees Merlin the Mouse fighting Robert the Moose over a bun they discover on the fields of Bannockburn in 1314.

Said Hamish: “Being a journalist myself I know how easy it is to miss a spelling error or a typo.

“Then I started joking with friends that the famous battle involved cream cakes and scones. I thought the idea was so daft it would be great fun to write as a children’s story.”

The latest book is a spin-off from Hamish’s earlier collection of children’s stories, Three Friends and Crumbs.

He added:  “I have those characters visit the anniversary festival where they learn from a spider all about this other famous battle that took place in 1314 – over a bun.”

* The Battle of Bannockbun is available on Amazon, at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum and in the Alloa Framing Company, Primrose Street, Alloa.