Bo'ness Fair queen Ellie's 'magical' experience

And despite everything, it was still a very special Fair Day for all those children who were involved and their families.

Queen Ellie Van der Hoek was crowned by Valerie McKay during the ceremony on Friday morning, watched by a small crowd in the grounds of St Mary’s Church and streamed online around the world.

Mum Laura said: “It was magical. It was perfect in every way from start to finish.

"It was the best day ever.

"All the kids involved did the school and their parents proud. They were all fantastic.

“The whole experience was just magical.”

For the second year in a row the coronavirus pandemic meant organisers of the Bo’ness Children’s Fair Festival were forced to make alterations to the day – the town’s biggest annual community event.

The day itself was arranged for August instead of June, and the crowning ceremony took place behind closed doors in the grounds of St Mary’s Church and streamed online.

Laura added: “Family, friends and neighbours all helped make it such a special day. Everyone just chipped in where they could. It was a really great experience and we can’t thank everyone enough for their help.

“Hopefully we can get back to normal and Bo’ness can get the Fair that we’re used to again in future.

Although it wasn’t the usual Fair, I couldn’t fault it or the committee and everyone involved in it this year.

“It was a day for the kids as it should be and everyone gave the kids a memorable day.

"We’ll never forget it and a lot of others are not going to forget it, especially with Ellie being a Covid queen.

“Ellie had a great time. All the kids had a great time and that’s what the Fair is all about.”

With restrictions having eased more in time for this year’s event and things slowly starting to be more akin to ‘normal’, one Fair tradition started to make a come back this year.

Families and friends of some of the retinue members were busy in recent weeks building arches for the occasion, and some could be seen around the town’s streets on Fair E’en.

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