An elderly Scotsman who has carried in the haggis at his local Burns Supper every year for the last 40 years has been snubbed by the Guinness Book of Records.

Pals of Jim McAllan, 89, urged the Book of Records to give him a gong for "haudering" the haggis - ceremonially presenting the delicacy as it is played in by a bagpiper - every year without fail for the last four decades.

But snooty Book of Records bosses said Jim's feat didn't qualify for inclusion because it wasn't "skilled" enough.

They said it failed to be "singularly superlative, verifiable, standardisable, breakable and present an element of skill".

The snub has outraged Jim's pals at Stonehaven Burns Club in Aberdeenshire.

And club president David MacDonald, 68, said the Scottish bard would have shared their anger.

He said: "Burns certainly wouldn't have taken it lying down. He wasn't one for formality."

Mr MacDonald added: ""We decided a couple of years ago that Jim's achievement should be recognised as an official record.

"So we contacted all the living ex-presidents to confirm that he had been the hauder consistently for 40 years.

"But the Guinness people didn't think it was unusual enough.

"We were disappointed.

"Jim's not the kind of guy that gets upset but I'm sure he would have loved to be recognised.

"We really did think that his dedication would warrant a crack at the record."

In a traditional Burns supper, the haggis is carried in by a hauder, who is played in by a piper.

The hauder presents the delicacy on a serving dish to the person who will give the address to the haggis.

They then share a dram of whisky with the piper.

The Stonehaven club attracts between 80 and 100 people every year for their Burns supper.

Vice president Douglas Samways, 66, said: "We thought it was unique and perhaps we could get his effort into the record books.

"Maybe they don't think there's skill in haudering but you don't want to drop the haggis at a Burns Supper.

"It's a big job."

Mr MacDonald said Burns himself would have been proud of Jim's achievement.

He said: "Burns would have been delighted that someone was so long to serve his Burns club for so many years and he'd have gladly shared a dram of whisky with Jim."

The club committee will discuss at their next meeting whether they will reapply to try and get Jim into the record books.

The town of Stonehaven was home to Robert Burns's father and grandfather, who farmed on land there.