IT WAS a night of celebration at Inglewood House last week as the Alman Theatre celebrated their 80th anniversary with a Burns Supper.

Last Friday, January 24, an evening of entertainment was combined with the traditional performances of a Burns Night to celebrate the history of the Alman Theatre group and one of Scotland's most beloved poets.

Gerry Docherty, Alman's artistic director, raved about a terrific night and hinted it may be the first of many.

He told the Advertiser: "It was terrific. It was a real pleasure to turn the focus on Burns Night and invite people to Inglewood.

"It was something we should have done years ago but never got around to."

More than 100 people were in the audience for the night and the food was provided by Inglewood.

Guests were served cock-a-leekie soup, a small plate of haggis, neeps and tatties, traditional steak pie with all the trimmings and cranachan.

Gerry said: "The food was absolutely great. It couldn't have been more perfect."

Amongst the performers was chairman for the evening George Macrinkiewcz, Moira Walker, Richard Macintosh and Jim Allan, who addressed the haggis.

Piper Andy Ward, from Stirling, entertained the troops with various tunes and played the small pipes too.

The piper then ended up sitting a table with a woman who actually made the bag for the small pipes in the 1980s.

Alloa's Susan Cown, a member of the Alman group, was crowned world champion by the Burns Supper Association in 2016 for her rendition of Tam o' Shanter and treated the guests to a magnificent performance of one of Burns' most famous poems.

Gerry added: "A special thanks to all the events staff who went out their way to make it such a special venue."