CARDENDEN man Ian Rankin, Scotland's top crime writer, will be auctioning off two bottles of rare whisky which were presented to him by Highland Park, the popular Orkney distillery.

Ian received the whisky due to the like of his highly successful detective Inspector John Rebus of a dram and he is to auction the two bottles in aid of the Streetwork charity in Edinburgh which support the homeless.

The bottled are the 20 year-old Rebus Edition, valued at over £2,000, one of only 150 produced in 2007 to celebrate 20 years since the arrival on the scene of Rebus; and Highland Park 30 year-old, one of only 30 bottles produced last year to celebrate the character's 30th anniversary.

The 58 year-old former Beath High School pupil will put the bottles up for sale in the Lyon and Turnbull Auction of Spirits in Edinburgh this Wednesday.

The bottles have both been signed by him and he is grateful to Highland Park for backing Rebus: "It was an great honour for Rebus to be allowed to join the Highland Park family and it is excellent that Lyon and Turnbull are providing the opportunity to for this unique auction.

"Streetwork does great work in Edinburgh to help the homeless and I am really impressed by their commitment and I hope to be ableto raise some much needed funds for them, especially as we enter the winter months."

The bottles of Rebus whisky are in their original oak presentation cases.