Donald Trump: Turnberry visits of the past as seen by the Advertiser

In the wake of today's news that former US President Donald Trump is set to return to his Turnberry golf resort next week, for the first time in nearly five years, we thought it might be fun to take a look back at some of his previous visits.

The news that the then entrepreneur would be buying Turnberry broke back in 2014. And the Ayr Advertiser was on the case right away.

We even got an exclusive phone interview with the man himself - when he memorably denied planning to change the name of the famous Open course to Trumpberry.

Then, in 2016, the then presidential candidate arrived in Ayrshire to officially open the revamped golf resort.

An expected protest involving hundreds of people did not quite materialise, and there were only 43 people outside Trump Turnberry, according to some reports.

One protester, comedian Lee Nelson, who had gatecrashed many high profile events, tried to present Mr Trump with a box of red golf-balls with a swastika on each one.

He was quickly removed by security personnel, of which there were many, wearing ear-pieces and looking menacing, as Mr Trump said: "Get him out."

Mr Trump later said: "43 people? And they are away over there. The police did a great job but they had nothing much to do, frankly.

"We heard that there were going to be thousands of protestors...43...my members are very happy with that, I can tell you."

Trump finally returned to Ayrshire as US President in 2018 - to be met by even more protests.

Alongside the heaviest police presence Carrick had ever seen, protesters from across Ayrshire and beyond travelled to Turnberry for President Donald Trump’s visit – and were even given a cheeky wave as they chanted slogans from the beach.

A demonstration took place by the police barrier outside Malin Court, led by the local Green Party – featuring a 13-year-old on the bagpipes and occasional blasts of Mexican mariachi tunes – while further demonstrators were positioned at the south side of the luxury resort.

Green MSP Ross Greer said: “From 100 feet away we told this famously thin-skinned bigot that his hatred isn’t welcome in Scotland. People from across Ayrshire and even a couple of visiting Americans came together to show Trump Scotland is no place for a man so devoid of common decency.”  

Mired in legal battles, Trump is still hoping for a second spell in the White House, and is one of the leading contenders for the Republican nomination.

Maybe the trip to Turnberry is for just some much needed R&R for The Donald.