First Minister makes time for 100th village gala day

Published on Thursday 12 June 2008 10:58

A TINY West Lothian village is preparing to welcome First Minister Alex Salmond to the 100th anniversary of its annual gala.

A range of leading politicians will travel to Torphichen, which lies just outside Bathgate, for the centenary celebrations.

A spokesman for the event said: "It is the most important news to hit our wee village since the visit of Queen Victoria in the 1890s."

Permission has been secured from Historic Scotland to use the village's Preceptory building, which has not been open to the public for almost 100 years. Mr Salmond will crown the village beauty queen, Caroline Perry, at the event on Saturday.

Also attending will be former gala queens. The 1935 queen will return from Yorkshire for the event, where she will meet her "champion" from the time, who is returning from Texas.

The two have never been reunited since the beginning of the Second World War.

Former MP Tam Dalyell said he was unable to attend the event due to ill health.