A GLASGOW theatre school which was destroyed by fire has been given £1000 to help get back on its feet.

Lord Provost Sadie Docherty donated the money to Vivace Theatre School after reading about their plight in the Evening Times in April.

The young performing arts pupils have raised more than £1500 by bag packing at a supermarket and hosting a Red Carpet Ball to help reopen the school, which burned down in February.

Now, the cash from the Lord Provost's Goodwill Fund means the school, which moved to new studios in Sauchiehall Street in March, can purchase a new sound system and replace props and costumes which were destroyed by fire and water damage.

Founder Joyce McLelland, 33, from Greenock, said: "We feel incredibly lucky to receive the donation. It is such a wonderful and unexpected surprise and a massive boost for everyone.

"It will allow us to replace some of the stock we were missing and it will allow us to replace our hi-fi equipment which was damaged in the fire and get back under way."

Flames ripped through the group's three-storey Clyde Street base in the early hours of February 3, destroying vital equipment and leaving the building unusable.

Classes offered by the school in acting, musical theatre, dance and singing had to be cancelled for a spell for all of its 150 pupils, aged between three and 18.

Vivace Theatre School, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in March, was forced to shut for five weeks but is now up and running again at the new studio.

Lord Provost Docherty said: "I was delighted to help out after reading the sad story about the fire in the Evening Times.

"I am glad that the group has new premises and that in true theatre spirit 'the show can go on'."

matty.sutton@eveningtimes.co.uk