Singer overwhelmed by online support

A RECUPERATING singer, on the mend after a triple bypass following a live online performance heart attack, has spoken of the “overwhelming” support he has received.

Arbroath’s Alan Mowatt became unwell during a Live Fae Oor Living Room Facebook concert which he and wife Val had been staging weekly to raise funds for the NHS.

The entertainer thought chest pains were just indigestion and returned to the mic to belt out a string of favourites for more than an hour.

Minutes after the curtain came down, however, a call to NHS 24 triggered an emergency response which saw the 61-year-old rushed to hospital where it was found he had suffered a heart attack.

Painter and decorator Alan was transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he underwent the triple bypass operation and is now recovering at his home in Arbroath.

“It will take time, but I am just so glad to have come out the other side of this,” said Alan, who is well-known for his Rat Pack-era shows. “It really makes you think about things.”

Looking back to the July 3 drama, Alan said: “I had been feeling unwell in the lead up to it and I just put it down to being a bit clammy, took a wee rest and carried on.

“Val and I had been doing the concerts for eight weeks on the trot and we didn’t repeat songs unless they were requests, so that was 18 hours of music in total. We’d do quite a bit of preparation, so maybe it all just caught up.”

He added: “I can’t say enough about the care I got – between NHS 24, the paramedics, coronary care and Ward 1 at Ninewells and then Edinburgh Royal, they have all been amazing.”

Arbroath-born West End star Norman Bowman led a Love for Al Facebook campaign with messages of support coming from around the globe.

“It’s been quite overwhelming to be honest, to have 900 people wishing you all the best is really something,” said Alan.