A FILM crew from the BBC is set to visit Saltcoats to capture the town's Platinum Jubilee celebrations - for a live broadcast on BBC One.

The show, 'Platinum Beacons: Lighting up the Jubilee' will air live from 8pm until 10pm on Thursday June 2.

Local residents will also have their very own chance to feature on the show.

The first day of the Platinum Jubilee will be marked by the traditional lighting of beacons across the Nation and Commonwealth, with over 1,500 set to be lit at this time to mark the Queen's 70 years on the throne. The principal beacon will be lit at Buckingham Palace.

The programme will be presented by Kirsty Young, with reporters across the country to cover this historic celebration, including Jermaine Jenas at Buckingham Palace, Gethin Jones in Wales, Carol Kirkwood in Scotland, and Holly Hamilton in Northern Ireland.

The Scotland segment of this show will be presented right here on our Three Towns shore, when Carol Kirkwood comes to Saltcoats harbour.

Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald:

The lighting of the community Jubilee beacon will be carried out by event organiser, Councillor Jim Montgomerie. He explained to the Herald how this opportunity came around.

He said: "I registered our Beacon with Bruno Peaks from Buckingham Palace at the start of this year. The BBC sent out e-mails to all who were organising them asking what we were planning to do.

"I got a reply from them about four weeks ago saying they would be interested in coming to film ours and would like to discuss what I had going on.

"So, I have been in dialogue with them to make this happen. It's a huge coup for our town.

"The Scottish Power Pipe Band will be in attendance. I believe they were the world champions and are a grade 1 band. A local piper told me that is a coup in itself to get them here to play."

There will be plenty of other activites going on at the Harbour, outwith the main event of lighting the beacon - which will take place at the end of the harbour at around 9.30pm.

Local troupe Dance Mafia will be performing while plenty of stalls will be dotted around the area. All events are due to start at 8pm, and it is expected to be busy, so get down early to make sure you don't miss out!

Further to the show being filmed here, locals may be able to get involved as well.

Programme researcher Alistair Sargent explained: "We are very interested in speaking with local residents who have recollections of the royal visit of 1956 – which saw the Queen and Prince Philip pay a visit to the Three Towns.

"Perhaps they remember being given the time off school or work? Or watched as the royal train or cars passed? Can they remember the excitement of the day at seeing the new Queen, very early in her now historic reign?"

Anybody who recalls this visit, and who would be free to take part in the live broadcast in Saltcoats on the evening of Thursday June 2 can get in touch with Alistair by emailing Alistair.sargent.ext@bbc.co.uk.