A noisy bagpiper was arrested in front of shocked tourists after playing “too loudly” in the centre of Edinburgh.

John McDonald was busking on the Royal Mile on Sunday, one of the city’s busiest tourist thoroughfares, leading from the castle to the Queen’s official residence at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

He was approached by officers as part of a crackdown on noisy street performances and warned about his sound levels.

He is understood to have been arrested after refusing to give his details to officers from Police Scotland.

A police spokesman said they actively encouraged responsible busking on a street that is popular with performers throughout the summer, especially during the city’s festivals in August.

She added: “Police in Edinburgh have received complaints from local residents and a councillor about excessive noise from bagpipe buskers on the Royal Mile over the last month.

“Officers engaged with the buskers asking them to consider only playing on six days of the week to give local residents some respite on one day.