There was standing room only for latecomers as Arinagour Village Hall filled up for an evening of outstanding musical and dramatic entertainment on Easter Saturday.

To open the programme the Malin Ceilidh Band (with Ron Davies on the drums, Lavinia Bristol on the keyboard, Will Tunnell on the fiddle, Tammie Rutherford playing the flute and the whistle and Patrick Rutherford on guitar) played some lively tunes to set the hand-clapping, foottapping tone which prevailed throughout the evening.

Continuing on an upbeat musical note, guitarists Allan MacKechnie and Patrick Rutherford played two excellent instrumentals of their own compo sition.

Next to take the floor, aptly and sprucely attired in his kilt, was Ali Anderson, with an interesting and amusing tale of MacSponran.

John Porrelli, in fine singing form, took the more senior members of the audience hack to the headier days of the 50s and 60s with first `The Ballad of Bethnal Green' and secondly, accompanied by the Malin Ceilidh Band, 'Putting on the Style', to which few could resist singing along.

That great double act, Lee Bell and Moira Macintyre, could do no wrong in their 'retiral performance' as they sang old Scottish favourites `Roaming in the Gloaming', `Will You Stop Your Tickling Jock', `I Love a Lassie' and `The Bonny Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond', accompanied by Lavinia Bristol on the keyboard.

Music was back on the agenda next with Will Tunnell on the fiddle accompanied by Patrick Rutherford and Ron Davies. A melody on the harmonica `Dancing With Molly' by Ron Davies followed, accompanied by Patrick Rutherford and Lavinia Bristol.

The first half concluded with more lively tunes from the band and an impromptu dance from Mistresses Bell and Maclntyre who, overwhelmed by the tumultuous applause, might reconsider their plans for retirement.

After a sociable interval, the second half opened with tunes on the keyboard by Amy Mitchell, aged 9. The schoolchildren then sang `Where Have the Seals Gone?' accompanied by Headteacher Lorna Barr on the keyboard. Amy Mitchell and Helena Porrelli played two recorder tunes.

Then, once again, for those who have not yet heard it, Peter Smalley recited the tale of the unfortunate Albert and his encounter with the lion at the zoo.

The stage was now set for the climax of the evening: `This is Your Life' as presented by Michael Aspirin (John Fraser, where did he get that tie?) to a very unsuspecting Brian Maclntyre.

In rapid succession we met and heard from Nannie Miss Terchance (Lavinia Bristol); Great Grannie and Granpa Ramsbottom (Peter Smalley and Ron Davies); Miss Henrietta Lochgelly (Mairi Hedderwick); Allie All-Black (Ali Anderson); the Ded Leppelins (Allan MacKechnie, Neil Morrison and John Porrelli); Slack Gretel (Isobel Hume); Miss Whiplash (Lee Bell); Lily Savaged (Lachie Neil Bristol) and Charlie Birdseye (Charlie Self), not to mention the long suffering wife, Moira. There was scarcely a dry eye in the room. The evening was very ably coordinated by Peter Smalley and scriptwriter of the sketch was Main Hedderwick. £614 was raised for Jessica Bell as part of her fund raising for her forthcoming trip with Project Trust.