THE family of a retired man found a way to celebrate his 80th birthday by urging members of the public to give him a wave.

Ian Millar has been recovering from heart bypass surgery at his home in Haddington and, under lockdown guidelines, has been staying in.

However, daughter Susan was determined to make sure his landmark birthday did not go unmarked, and decorated his car with balloons and a poster asking passers-by to wave to her dad.

And, last Friday, lots of families out for their daily walk stopped to do just that.

Susan said: “Dad has not been able to get out of the house and is recovering from his operation so I wanted to surprise him. Lots of people waved to him through his window during the day and he really enjoyed it.”

Ian, who is originally from Linlithgow, moved to East Lothian with his wife Jean more than 40 years ago, living in Auldhame and Seacliff before settling in North Berwick.

A mechanic, Ian worked at Fowler’s Garage and the Bass Rock Garage in the town, before starting East Lothian School of Motoring in 1974.

The couple had two children and, following the loss of Jean in 2010 and retirement a year later, Ian moved to Haddington to be closer to daughter Susan.

For his 80th birthday, Susan decorated the car in his driveway on Dobson’s Walk, since they were unable to hold a party.

Susan said: “We put a sign on his car saying, ‘Please give me a wave as I’m 80 today,’ and dad then spent the day being waved to by passers-by. He even had a visit from the police after a family member in the police in Edinburgh asked local officers to come around! Later on, he spent the evening on a video call with his children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.”

 

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