Police needed to call on the horses to control the crowds in Glasgow city centre in 1947 when two of their era's biggest film stars arrived.

Comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy had a two-week stint at the Glasgow Empire and stayed at the Central Hotel, where they had previously visited in 1932.

Laurel had lived in Glasgow during his teenage years and took the chance to visit the Metropole Theatre, in Stockwell Street, where he had worked with his father. He later had his first stand-up gig at the city's Britannia.

By their 1947 tour of British theatres the duo's film career was over, but Laurel brought props used in film Bonnie Scotland to show his affection for the country - two sporrans.

Of course, to make use of them meant having kilts too, with Hardy's having to be made to measure - a project which took more than a week.

But the effort was much appreciated by the audiences who saw them used during the last few days of their run.

By the size of the crowd which welcomed the stars to the city, they would have played to full houses no matter how they were dressed.