EAST Ayrshire's biggest cultural event has been saved from the brink of extinction.

Mauchline Holy Fair 2019 is set to go ahead as planned on Saturday, May 25 – albeit on a lower scale.

The event has previously drawn 22,000 people from far and wide for a celebration of the local community, its heritage and links to Robert Burns.

Following a plea to the public and local businesses, an urgent meeting of the Holy Fair group was held on Wednesday, January 16 where a new committee was formed and plans were put in place to start organising and fundraising.

However, the group may still need to raise more than £6,000 to guarantee it's survival.

A spokesperson for the Holy Fair group said: "We had a productive meeting on Wednesday, January 16 and are now considering the feasibility of securing funding to allow the Holy Fair to go ahead as planned on Saturday, May 25.

"Seven new members were appointed to the committee but we will still urgently require the help and support of the public and local businesses.

"We are therefore still looking for volunteers and sponsors from all backgrounds to contact us and get involved in organising the biggest event in East Ayrshire."

Anyone interested is asked to e-mail Holy Fair group chairman Martin Leske at martinleske@sky.com or Mauchline Community Council secretary William Lennox at mauchlinecc@gmail.com