Poppyscotland will host its own version of the hit BBC show in Inverness next week

Aspiring dancers are getting their glad rags on to raise thousands of pounds for a veteran’s charity.

The first Come Dancing with Poppyscotland will be held in Inverness next week.

Based on the same format as the hit BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, eight individuals with no prior experience in dance have been paired up with eight professional dancers. Each couple is currently learning one Latin and one ballroom dance, which they will then perform on the night.

The event, which is taking place at the Drumossie Hotel on Friday 16 March, will be overseen by four judges who will rate the dancers with score paddles numbered from one to 10.

Poppyscotland north of Scotland regional fundraiser Frances Beveridge said: “We can neither confirm nor deny the real reason that Brendan Cole left Strictly Come Dancing in such a hurry was because he heard about Come Dancing with Poppyscotland and wanted to get on board with the hottest new show in town!

“What I can confirm is that we have eight wonderful couples working morning, noon and night to perfect two dances that they will perform in front of a packed Drumossie Hotel crowd. There will be a trophy for the best dancing couple and a trophy for the individual who raises the most money for Poppyscotland. What’s particularly special about the event from our point of view is that the eight contestants all have links to the armed forces community.”

Tickets for the event, priced at £29 each, are still available, and includes entry to a post-show disco. For more information on Come Dancing with Poppyscotland, or to purchase tickets, contact Frances Beveridge on 01463 701 764, or drop into the Poppyscotland Welfare Centre in Inverness.]