IN THE 19th century, one of the most noted ventriloquists in the country was Fifer John Carmichael who, billed for his 'astonishing performances', would draw large audiences.

In August 1829, Carmichael happened to be walking on the road between Stirling and Alloa near Tullibody when he encountered two young boys.

He asked them how much further he had to go to reach Alloa, and while their conversation was going on, another person, apparently in great distress, called out for assistance from the plantation by the side of the road.

Carmichael stopped talking with the boys and stepped up on to a large stone that lay nearby.

He addressed the man in distress, asking him where he was.

The reply came back that he was under the stone, and that some ruffians had put him there the night before.

Carmichael pulled out some long grass and discarded it by the side of the stone and was about to try and extricate the man from beneath it when there was an unearthly scream, and he called out that he was being suffocated.

The boys, who were still standing on the road, were so alarmed by what was happening to the stranger that they ran off in the direction of Tullibody and relayed the story there.

As the story spread, both old and young gathered to discuss the situation.

By the time 40 of them had congregated in the village, they decided it was time to go and help, hoping to be able to move the large stone by sheer brute force, and get the man to safety.

When they reached the stone, they were rather perplexed. They examined it, but it appeared to them that it had never been moved, therefore it was impossible that anyone could have been stuck under it.

They stood scratching their heads, wondering what was going on, before they set off back to Tullibody.

They began to think the boys had made it all up, although the pair seemed to be telling the truth. It was very strange.

On their way back, they met a gentleman. He informed them that he had passed Carmichael, and when they told him their reason for being on the road, the man suddenly clicked.

He suspected that there had never been any man stuck under the stone, but that Carmichael had played a trick on the boys.

The group returned to their homes, feeling rather sheepish that they had fallen for the ventriloquist's hoax.

Carmichael died of epilepsy in Glasgow on February 10, 1835.