COWDENBEATH will be the stage for one of the Orange Order's biggest events in Scotland this summer.

On Saturday June 30 The Battle of the Boyne anniversary Orange March will take place in the town.

It will see more than 1,500 people coming to the town for an event which will see DUP leader Arlene Foster as main speaker.

Ms Foster was Northern Ireland’s First Minister until the collapse of the powersharing agreement at Stormont last year.

The parade on June 30 is one of the biggest in Scotland and involves lodges from Fife, Edinburgh, the Lothians and elsewhere in the central belt.

Meanwhile news of Ms Foster's visit has brought concerns from MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Lesley Laird.

Ms Laird: “I’m not entirely convinced that, given the lack of political leadership or Assembly in Northern Ireland, this is the best use of Arlene Foster’s time.

“My advice to her would be to channel her energy into getting Stormont back up and running.

"It’s only then that Northern Ireland can get back to focusing on the issues that matter to the people of Northern Ireland.”

However, it is believed that the DUP leader will use the event to take the opportunity to get over the message that there is no place for sectarianism or prejudice against any part of the community and that included the Orange Order.

A local member of the Order said: "This is a major part of the Order's calendar and there will be a number of speakers.

"Ms Foster is certainly not the first party leader from Northern Ireland to address this sort of event, for instance then Stormont First Minister Peter Robinson spoke some years back."