Burns' birthplace to be restored

The Alloway birthplace of Robert Burns has been saved

Agreement has been reached on restoring the birthplace of the legendary Scottish Bard Robert Burns.

The poet was born in the thatched cottage in Alloway in 1759 but since then the white-walled property has fallen into a state of disrepair.

But now the National Trust for Scotland will join the board in charge of the house as part of a £10m restoration programme to preserve it.

The Burns National Heritage Centre runs the cottage as a tourist attraction.

The cottage itself is owned by South Ayrshire Council which agreed to bring the National Trust for Scotland on board for an initial 12-month period after talks on Thursday night.

Cottage industry

The household is part of the Burns National Heritage Park and is run by a board of trustees

Before the agreement was struck, there were fears the property would eventually have become unusable due to rising damp and lack of repairs.

Campaigners had previously called for an urgent cash injection to safeguard its future and this will now be the case with funds from Scottish Executive and the National Lottery, among others, paying for the restoration project.

Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson said she was delighted to hear the news.

She added: "The National Trust for Scotland's involvement has always been my preferred option.

"It is the first step in securing a long-term future for the Burns National Heritage Park."