As the final crashing notes of Rule Britannia rang out, the inside of the Gaiety Theatre was filled with a cascade of colour, as red, white and blue balloons drifted down over the audience who were already enthusiastically waving Three Legs and Union Jack flags in time to the music.

The Manx Last Night of the Proms certainly brought the spectacle of pomp and pageantry to the theatre last weekend and the audience took their chance to enjoy the traditional evening of classical music hall entertainment, denied to others across the water.

The Manx Concert Brass and Manx Youth Band led the night, under the guidance of Ian Clague, who willed the crowd to their feet on many an occasion to sing hearty renditions of Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory’, before bringing the night to a rousing end with a defiant version of ’O Land of Our Birth’.

Guest singer for the evening was local stage star Simon Fletcher, who gave two performances: one, dressed in a sombre black tuxedo as he appeared, accompanied by pianist Wendy McDowell, in the first half to sing ’When I Fall in Love’ and Don McLean’s ’Vincent’, amongst others, while the second half saw him appear in a flamboyant Union Jack Suit to sing, amongst others, a medley of World War 2 songs.

Beforehand, the crowd were worked up by a joyful romp through ’The Radetsky March’

The traditional Fantasia of British Sea Songs followed, before the crowd, in full voice, sang every line of ’Rule Britannia’.

The night also saw the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Manx Youth Band and the 25th anniversary of Manx Concert Brass, which was marked by the performance of a suite of music, entitled ’Manx Tales’, arranged by the noted UK Composer Derek Broadbent.