Published: Wednesday, 3rd February, 2010 11:40am

Viking Queen to replace Brisbane Queen?

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Calls have been made from the public to set up a Viking Queen for the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Largs Viking Festival in September.

In the absence of the Brisbane Queen which has been missing from the Largs calendar for two years, local businesswoman Lorraine Stewart suggested the idea at a meeting arranged by festival organisers at the Willowbank Hotel.

Lorraine Stewart said: "We will have to forget the Brisbane Queen - why don't we have a Viking Queen instead? It is the last festival we have now got so why not?"

Some members of the audience including June Gowland of the Vik the Viking litter free Largs campaign were in agreement. She said: "I think a Viking queen would be good for the 30th anniversary."

Viking Festival chairman Alex Gallagher said that the organisers were looking at providing a bigger and better festival for the landmark celebration and commented that the 'Viking queen' idea could be one way forward in raising the prestige of the event.

The last person to have crowned the Brisbane Queen - Cunninghame North MSP Kenny Gibson - has lamented the loss of the traditional seaside crowning, and has called for the prestigious event to be revived.

No official announcement was made this year by the organisers who said last year that the ceremony had to be put on hold due to a range of circumstances including illness to committee members.