Ghoulish goings-on will reveal the dark side of wee red town

It’s a burgh whose fame is founded on fairytale fun and flights of fancy.

But with Halloween looming, the darker side of the wee red town is about to be revealed as families are invited to take a spooky step into the horrible history of Kirriemuir.

Riotous weavers, cackling witches and the fearsome figure who carried the keys to the town’s tollbooth gaol will all be brought to eerie life as part of a busy weekend of activities.

Kirrie’s popular Gateway to the Glens museum will be at the centre of the dark side tour, acting as the start point for Friday and Saturday evening walks around the wynds and closes of Kirrie.

Along the route, youngsters from the town’s Webster’s High will take on the persona of characters from Kirrie’s creepy past – and a period long before famous town son Bon Scott took fans of AC/DC down the Highway to Hell.

The museum building once served as a 17th Century tollbooth prison and the voice of town crier Tam Barnett will ring out from the landmark, before the tour moves on to encounter infamous weaving women Ann Kemack and Betsy Murphy, as well as the witch Janet Walker.

Museum officer Rachel Jackson said: “Thanks to the drama pupils of Webster’s High School who have volunteered to portray characters from the past, we are again able to tell people the spine-chilling tales and entertaining stories from Kirriemuir’s history.”

The closes tour coincides with a Spooky Saturday put together by Kirriemuir and Local Business Association which will feature a range of Halloween-themed town centre attractions for locals and visitors.

Picture: Mhairi Edwards. Museum assistant Jen Falconer and museum officer Rachel Jackson, who run the spooky walks.