Over the last year, it is fair to say that many of us have never been more thankful to have good neighbours – a familiar face who can provide a chat over the fence or a lend of something if we have run out.

Although lockdown has been tough, it has also shown how even the most unassuming characters in our lives can come to mean so much when we are faced with social isolation and little chance to meet with people outside our household.

That is perhaps why so many people reacted so positively to Auchinleck-born poet Tracy Harvey’s latest piece which she performed at Tamfest last Sunday, named ‘Betty Through The Waa’, centering on "two neighbours that meant the world to each other".

Tracy recited the poem at Tams Sunday Club, part of the annual Tamfest Halloween festival in Ayr, which showcases the rich and varied talent of performers from Ayrshire and beyond.

The performance is now the most watched video in Tamfest history, but Tracy credits her former Auchinleck neighbour for its success, as she was the inspiration behind the piece.

On the viral video, Tracy, who now lives in Ayr, said: "This poem was inspired by my neighbour Rena Ruggeri who lived "throu the waa" from me when my daughter and I lived in Auchinleck for years.

“Everybody needs a "Betty" next door and, hopefully, we'll all become Betty's someday"