A BONNIE braveheart celebrated National Book Week with a special guest event featuring some poetry and lively chat about the Scots language.

Isabel Lind, who is the vice-president of Greenock Burns Club (The Mother Club), was delighted to lead the celebration at Gourock Library

It followed a series of events held in other library branches across Inverclyde to mark the week.

Mrs Lind, a retired head teacher and passionate promoter of the Scots vocabulary, was on sparkling form during her slot at Gourock.

During her long teaching career, which included posts at Earnhill Primary, Ravenscraig Primary and later Aileymill Primary, she always encouraged pupils to read in Scots.

She said: "I was delighted that at Aileymill that we spoke three languages, we had the school Gaelic Choir, and Bible readings in Scots and in English. And to celebrate Christmas we had the 12 days of Christmas in Scots."

Library staff decked out the branch with bunting and the tea and coffee which was served even came with some Tunnock's Teacakes for the patriotic party.

Mrs Lind says she is proud to have sponsored the word 'Galoshans' to appear in the Scots Dictionary, with the Halloween term having a specific local reference to Greenock.

She is confident that generations of children growing up in the area are still embracing the Scots language and will ensure its preservation long into the future.

She said: "Children are always interested if things are presented to them in the correct way."