Scottish pensioner's war tale takes the world by storm thanks to iPad

THE memoirs of a 91-year-old Scottish former prisoner of war have become a surprise hit on one of the world's biggest online bookstores.

Such has been the demand for Alistair Urquhart's novel The Forgotten Highlander on Apple's iBookstore that it is now listed on its front page.

In a PR scoop that marketing executives strive for, it means the Dundonian's novel will appear on the front page of the bookstore app on every one of Apple's popular new gadgets, the iPad. The book recalls Mr Urquhurt's harrowing ordeal after being captured by the Japanese during the Second World War.

His story was released in March and became a runaway success across the UK and sales look set to rocket further as it features on the iPad's top-20 new and noteworthy additions.

His story has become so highly sought after that BBC and Yesterday TV are battling it out to turn his book into a documentary.

Asked previously if he wanted the book to become such a success, Mr Urquhurt said only that he hoped it would make people think about National Service.

He said: "I'm hoping it gets to the right people: the younger generation. None of the youth today could stand what we stood."