THE bunting is out for Wallyford Children’s Gala, with gala day taking place this Saturday.

Ellis Renton and Neill Walker will be crowned Gala Queen and Gala King respectively in a ceremony at the local park at noon.

The formalities are preceded by a parade round the village, leaving from the car park at Wallyford Miners Club on Salters Road at 11.15am, led by the Coldstream Pipe Band, with the gala court, entrants in the fancy dress competition and Kung Fu display following behind. A stop is traditionally made at the Wallyford Mining Memorial Stone, where tribute is paid to the miners who lost their lives at local collieries.

The procession then moves on to Drummohr Avenue and residents at the local care home are treated to tunes by the pipe band and get the chance to meet the gala court.

Ellis and Neill will be crowned by racing driver Steven Dailly from Wallyford, the 2017 and 2018 BMW Compact Cup Champion. He is still the only BMW Compact Cup driver to have held the Scottish and British Championship title and also finished third in the British National Driver Championship.

The new gala team, which has just four organisers, has been busy fundraising for the event, which includes covering the £1,000 cost for East Lothian Council to put up the bunting in the village.

Team member Lesley Cochrane said: “I think we did really well with our fundraising and our ideas have gone well. We have held successful children’s discos, Christmas fair and raffle, a boot camp, Hallowe’en night and Gig for the Gala starring Milestone.”

She paid tribute to supporters including Wallyford Miners Club, which gave a £3,000 donation and allowed the use of its facilities, and the local Day-Today store, which has provided the goodie bags for the children with crisps, apples, juice and sausage rolls. Wallyford Community Council has also given funding for the event. East Lothian Developments Limited, which is involved in house building locally, has donated £3,000.

Tickets sales have been good and wristbands for access to the rides can also be purchased on the day for £10.

Attractions in the park include pony rides, six different inflatables, fairground rides for youngsters of all ages including a Waltzer, coffees and teas, burgers, chicken wraps and ice cream.

Mrs Cochrane said: “The gala is so important to Wallyford and brings the community together. The children love it and the rehearsals have gone well. It is all about them at the end of the day.”

Other gala attractions are prizes for the best decorated houses which will be judged by ward councillor Fiona Dugdale, Wallyford community councillor Beryl Stevenson and Darren Smith representing Wallyford Miners Club.

Musselburgh CFA (Community Football Academy) Football Festival is held in the park next Saturday and Sunday (June 8-9), with half the proceeds going to the football academy and the other half to the gala.

Alister Hadden, chairman of Wallyford Community Council, said: “Wallyford Gala has been a wonderful, lovely tradition in Wallyford for many decades, firstly being run and organised by the miners within the village.

“As time has evolved, many of the traditions still remain the same with a few exceptions.

“It is hats off to all those that give and dedicate their time and efforts to fundraise and organise this full day of events. It brings the whole community of Wallyford and beyond together on the first Saturday in June each year to keep these precious traditions alive.

“I wish them every success going forward into the future in preserving Wallyford Gala day for future generations.”