MAUCHLINE - John Brown has lovingly polished each and every one of the curling stones to be used at the Pyeongchang Olympics, buffing and burnishing the granite in a workshop whose machines look older than him.

The 52-year-old says he will be "chuffed to bits" to see them thrown in South Korea.

The former fitter, who has worked at sole Olympic stone suppliers Kays Curling for 12 years, also expects to have his hackles raised by some of the accompanying television commentary.

"They say ‘Oh, maybe the stones aren’t running right' and that. It’s not the stones; It’s the ice, it’s the player," he said, stepping outside for a break in the steady Scottish drizzle.

"It’s nothing to do with the stones. Every stone is so closely matched, it’s unbelievable."