An artist found in Galashiels with a knife was jailed for nine months at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday.

Fifty-seven-year-old Michael Kay, described as a prisoner in Edinburgh, appeared on indictment and admitted having a lock knife at Channel Street on September 25.

Kay said he used the knife during his work as an artist and had forgotten he had it in his jacket pocket.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser told how Kay had earlier been in a local bank.

He said: “He had gone to the bank that morning and his behaviour was bizarre and somewhat alarming.”

Police were contacted and Kay was seen in a nearby café. He was detained by officers and searched, and a lock knife found in his jacket pocket.

“He is a painter and said he used it for his work, and that he had put it in his pocket in the studio,” said Mr Fraser.

“The fact that he has a drink problem and that he was out and about with a knife is a matter of concern.”

Defence solicitor Iain Burke said his client had been involved in the creative art world for many years, and his work included painting and wood carving.

“The biggest mistake he made was going out with it in his pocket,” explained Mr Burke.

The lawyer went on: “He has had a long-standing problem with alcohol”, adding that his “isolated lifestyle” had seen him “back on a downward spiral”.

Mr Burke pointed out: “This is not a young man tooled up, looking for trouble, but the dual concern is a knife and alcohol.”

The nine-month jail term was backdated to September 26.

PEEBLES Youth Trust (PYT) holds a fundraising Christmas shopping fayre in the town’s MacFarlane Hall tomorrow (November 23), 7-10pm.

There will be stalls selling bags, candles, toiletries, cookware and other items, plus music from Peebles community choir, Inchorus. Tickets will be on sale at the doors and the money raised will go to PYT.

PYT co-ordinator Angie Preston (centre) is pictured assisted by Edith Weber and Yvonne Taylor preparing for the event.

A shoplifter who terrorised staff by brandishing a knife has been jailed for 17 months.

Employees at Aldi’s Galashiels store caught Jordan Renwick stealing from the King Street premises and were waiting for police to arrive when he produced a knife, demanding they open the door and allow him to leave.

The 20-year-old then fled over a nearby bridge, throwing the knife into the river.

Renwick, of Orchard Park, Kelso, appeared on indictment and admitted stealing food from the shop on June 12. He also pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by brandishing a knife at employees and demanding they open the door to allow him to escape.

Depute procurator fiscal Kate McGarvey told Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Friday that staff noticed Renwick acting supiciously and after he passed through the checkout, he was stopped and asked to return to the store.

Packs of jelly and some cheese were found in his pockets and trouser waistband, and a staff member decided to contact police.

Renwick produced a large kitchen knife and demanded that the door be opened. Staff were described as “scared and frightened” and let him go out.

“He walked backwards out of the door and then ran away towards Matalan, throwing the knife into water as he crossed the bridge,” continued Ms McGarvey.

Police arrested Renwick at an address in Croft Street, Galashiels.

His lawyer, Rory Bannerman, said his client had gone into the shop to buy food, “but realised he did not have enough money with him, so pilfered items.

“He knew the police were coming and there was a knife in the room, so he picked it up and brandished it to make good his escape.”

Sheriff Ian Anderson told Renwick: “It is very easy to understand the terror suffered by employees at the store, and that makes this a very serious offence. It was also committed while you were on bail.”

On a further complaint, Renwick was sentenced to an 11-week jail term – to run consecutively – after he admitted assaulting a man at Station Road, Kelso, on April 21 by repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body to his injury.

Ms McGarvey said the assault followed an altercation between the two men.

The victim sustained a cut to his elbow and bruising.

Mr Bannerman said the other man had approached his client “menacingly”.

Renwick was also sentenced to a two-month prison sentence – to run concurrently – after he pleaded guilty to stealing dog food at the Original Factory Shop, Bowmont Street, Kelso, on May 18.

The total jail term of 17 months and 11 weeks was backdated to June 13.

If there is one thing the Borders does brilliantly, it’s getting behind good causes.

And this week TheSouthern is getting behind another fantastic local charity that aims to help alleviate some of the trauma and discomfort of those suffering the effects of cancer treatment, and helping their families and carers.

The Lavender Touch was set up in 2003 by Heather Runciman from Lauder, Galashiels photographer Sheila Scott and award-winning complementary therapist Jan Beattie from Selkirk, and since then the charity has helped more than 2,000 Borders families with its complementary therapy treatments.

Next year the charity will be 10 years old and in that time it has grown, and now boasts 13 therapists and a co-ordinator who works in conjunction with NHS Borders.

It costs £25,000 per year to run the service, with all of that much-needed money raised by big-hearted Borderers.

Now, the team behind The Lavender Touch want to expand the service and realise a long-held dream of opening a Lavender Touch Centre. They plan to mark their anniversary by raising the £150,000 needed to create the specialist facility.

To help them, and as a way of saying thank you for all the help she received from the charity, local textile designer Pauline Birse has designed a revolutionary garment to help cancer patients cope with night-time sweats brought on by the disease and the side-effects of their treatment (see page 7). Money raised from the sales of the unisex garments will go to help The Lavender Touch.

And TheSouthern is also getting behind the charity to help it achieve its goal.

Every month throughout the coming year we will run articles in support of the charity, highlighting both its amazing work and your amazing achievements in helping it to raise the cash for the much-needed centre.

Gala Hotspur 0

Ancrum 5

SOUTH CUP SECOND ROUND

ANCRUM had the perfect warm-up for their Wright Cup final against Hawick Legion this Saturday with a comfortable win at Netherdale.

The Bridgend club proved too strong for Gala Hotspur and soared into the third round of the South Cup.

Goals came from a Daniel Gillie double and further strikes from Grant Davidson, Kyle Finlayson and Steven Thomas.

Eyemouth Amateurs 6

Hawick Legion 3

BAL DIVISION B

EYEMOUTH set the early pace and had Legion reeling by netting twice.

But the Teries hit back and, after latching onto a Davie Fraser pass, Callum Hope sent over a cross that was put away by Jory Robertson.

The home side then scored again and after Robertson and Fraser had both come near to reducing the leeway, Eyemouth rattled home two more goals before the interval. And at the beginning of the second half, the Seasiders grabbed a sixth.

Legion heads did not drop, though, and, following a solo run, Thomas Scott got his name on the scoresheet. Robertson then pulled another goal back after being set up by Scott.

Hawick Waverley 3

Penicuik United 3

(aet – Waverley won 5-3 on penalties)

SOUTH CUP SECOND ROUND

Penicuik were first to produce the scoring touch.

Then Taylor Hope put Waverley level, tucking in a shot after Ian Turnbull had flicked on a Mark Deans throw-in.

Penicuik regained the lead, but the Teries equalised with a Ross Wallace counter, before falling behind for a third time during the early part of the second period.

After Penicuik had been reduced to 10 men through a red card, Liam Lavery levelled the score.

The tie moved into extra time, during which Waverley’s Craig Wilson was given his marching orders, along with an opponent, following an off-the-ball incident.

The Hawick men emerged triumphant from the spot, netting five out of five, while Penicuik slotted three. Waverley’s marksmen were Ross McLeod, Mark Deans, Ian Turnbull, Dean McColm and Liam Lavery.

Selkirk 3

Berwick Rangers Reserves 2

EoS FIRST DIVISION

KENNY PATERSON reports from Yarrow Park

THEY are never likely to be as formidable as the famous SAS – Shearer and Sutton – strike partnership of the mid 1990s, but Selkirk have got their own WAG – Watt and Gibson – which could yet fire the club to a successful season.

Both attackers found the net and were impressive in a fine win against high-flying Berwick Rangers Reserves, giving the Yarrow Park men their third win on the bounce.

The return to form of his side left Selkirk manager Mike McKinnon happier than a mealworm in an I’m a Celebrity bushtucker trial with Helen Flanagan.

In particular, he paid tribute to Watt and Gibson. McKinnon said: “There were some brilliant performances, especially Jamie Gibson.

“The laddie runs and runs and runs, never stops working, and deservedly got his goal.

“Jonny is a different player from last season, when he stepped up from amateur football.

“He also had a major operation on his stomach last year. He wasn’t a well laddie, but he has come back stronger and is really learning.”

Berwick came to Selkirk having suffered only one defeat in the league, and scored on average over three goals a game.

There was plenty of pace about the young side, but the homesters look a completely different team from the one humiliated 7-0 at Lothian Thistle last month.

And having dominated possession and territory in the early stages, Selkirk deservedly took the lead on 25 minutes.

Watt burst down the right wing before firing a tantalising cross into the penalty box which Gibson met. His shot was blocked well by Grant Sandison, but unfortunately for the Rangers stopper the ball rolled into the path of Selkirk’s Michael Holness, who tapped home.

Five minutes later, Berwick failed to clear their box and Watt found the bottom corner of the net with a close-range shot for his ninth goal of the season.

In between the two goals, Berwick top scorer Josh Morris had two great chances to level the match, firstly being denied by the post and then seeing his delicate lob bounce just wide.

Selkirk brought on Lee Stephen at half-time for Bryan Tait, and the dynamic utility player put in a great shift, bearing in mind he was still recovering from a chest infection.

However, Stephen was helpless as Selkirk’s ability to not just shoot themselves in the foot but blow it completely off resurfaced.

David Battle, who otherwise put in a typically industrious showing, lost the ball 25 yards out, allowing Kenny O’Brien to set up centre back Jonathon Fairbairn to calmly curl the ball into the bottom corner on 55 minutes.

Then, just three minutes later, substitute Dean Carse burst through the middle of the Souters’ defence, and although his shot was saved by John Dodds, the ball ricocheted into the path of Morris for his 10th – and surely easiest – First Division strike.

But those expecting Selkirk to succumb to a fifth league loss were in for a shock.

McKinnon’s men continued to play at high intensity, with Ryan McManus, Stephen and Gibson in particular giving the Rangers’ midfield little time to think.

It was Gibson who grabbed the winning goal with 21 minutes remaining, combining power to brush off the challenge of Shaun Ford, and then a delicate touch to deftly lob Sandison.

Asked if Selkirk can still gain promotion, McKinnon said: “Absolutely. We had a poor start, but we have now got some momentum with three wins on the bounce.”

Selkirk: J. Dodds, D. Johnson, B. Milven, J. Higginbottom, K. Munro, B. Tait (L. Stephen 45), M. Holness (R. Pepper 86), R. McManus, J. Gibson, J. Watt (A. Butters 78), D. Battle.

Coldstream 6

Peebles Rovers 0

EoS FIRST DIVISION

COLDSTREAM ensured they went into their free week on the top of the pile with a clinical victory over Peebles Rovers.

With Peebles having kicked off, it was quite unbelievable that 14 seconds later the ball was in their own net – Gary Wales slotting one of the quickest ever goals in Home Park history.

Josh Hebdon added a second from a set piece.

Peebles did play some nice football at times and went close with a header and a couple of long-distance efforts.

However, Streamers made it three through Wales and just before the break John Crawford added a fourth.

After the interval, Crawford headed home his second and substitute Coyle completed the rout.

Peebles manager Jason Girdwood told TheSouthern: “We were missing our back four on Saturday, due to suspensions, weddings and work commitments, and that made a huge difference.

“We were quite good going forward, but just couldn’t defend.”

Coldstream must now wait until December 1 for their next league encounter, which is a trip to Yarrow Park to face Selkirk – a game which down the years has always been eventful and a must-see entry for the diary.

Peebles Rovers: C. Lennie, P. Hunter, G. Shortreed, N. Cairns, C. Chalmers, P. Conaghan, L. Conaghan, C. Edgar, J. Manson, J. Adamson, J. Carter. Sub: P. White.

Pencaitland 5

Selkirk Victoria 1

SOUTH CUP SECOND ROUND

DIVISION A champions Pencaitland proved too good for underdogs Selkirk.

The Vics started well, however, and caused the home side plenty of problems down the left-hand side through Ryan Clapperton, who almost opened the scoring after 10 minutes, but his shot was blocked by the last defender.

Pencaitland opened their account in the 20th minute, the ball met just inside the box and headed into the top corner.

Selkirk almost equalised after half an hour when Ryan Pritchard played Clapperton clear through on goal, but he curled his effort wide of the post.

The home side extended their lead a couple of minutes before the break. A shot from the edge of the box was deflected into the path of the left winger, who bent his shot past Jamie Lyall into the bottom corner.

The hosts went 3-0 up after 55 minutes in fortunate circumstances.

A corner was fired in from the right which resulted in a scuffed shot towards goal. Lyall looked certain to collect the effort, but Vics’ left back William Mercer swung a leg at the ball and it was scooped over the keeper’s head and into the back of the net.

Lyall pulled off some good saves to deny the home side, but a quick double with 20 minutes to go ensured Pencaitland’s progress to the next round.

Grant Brownlee headed home a Clapperton corner in the 85th minute for a deserved consolation goal.

Selkirk Victoria: Lyall, Sharkey, Pritchard, Brownlee, Mercer, Clapperton, Purves, Bodicoat, Ford, Munro, MacFarlane. Subs: King, Douglas, Matheson, McDougall.

Gala Fairydean 2

Hawick Royal Abert 2

EoS FIRST DIVISION

JOHN SLORANCE reports from Netherdale

FAIRYDEAN manager Garry Fraser was scathing about his players after the team scraped a point against struggling Hawick on Saturday.

Fraser fumed: “We got a draw – but I don’t know how we managed it. Our show today was Gala’s worst performance in the past four years.

“We were terrible, we just didn’t play at all and performances like our guys gave in this game are just not acceptable – and I told the players this after the match. I was very disappointed with the way our boys played.

“Hawick were up for the game far more than we were, that’s for sure. They were much more hungry than us and must feel hard done by that they didn’t get a win”.

Albert came within two minutes of pulling off what would have been an unexpected victory in a derby clash during which the form book was torn to shreds.

Hawick, with only one league win to their credit this season, compared with Fairydean’s seven, produced the early flair and enterprise.

Craig Beattie came close to breaking the deadlock in the opening minutes when connecting with a Declan Hogg free kick, then Ronald Fleming sent an effort wide of the target following good work by Graham Clee.

After Jack Hay had fired an angled shot narrowly past the post at the other end, Albert took the lead in the 22nd minute. Paul Power sprayed a pass to the feet of Bobby Nwanze, who slotted his shot past Gala keeper Elliot Turnbull.

Four minutes later, Hawick struck again. A Power shot was parried by Turnbull and Nwanze headed home the loose ball.

Fairydean reduced the leeway in the 35th minute with a top-notch strike from Mark Berry, who found the top of the net from a far-out shot wide on the left.

After Turnbull had saved well from Nwanze at the beginning of the second half, Andy Noble came to the Teries’ aid by heading a curving Scott Nightingale corner kick off the goal line.

Declan Hogg then netted for Hawick following a Noble free kick, only to be judged offside.

Gala brought on Darren Bowie for Grant Gass. It was to be a shortlived outing for Bowie, however, for within minutes he was in the dressing room after being shown a straight red card following an off-the-ball flare-up with Fleming, who was booked.

It was not looking good for 10-man Fairydean, but they bagged an equaliser two minutes from time. Jay Wilson emerged the homesters’ saviour with a free kick that sailed over the head of Albert keeper Steven West in a crowded goalmouth.

With seconds remaining, Hawick had Fleming dismissed for a second bookable offence after tripping Hay.

Afterwards, Hawick assistant manager Owen Murphy said: “Before the game I would have been more than happy to have got a draw with Gala.

“Due to the way the game went, though, a draw was a bad result for us, for on the day we were the better side.

“We played very well in the first half in particular, but we have got to learn to play a game through and not be complacent”.

Gala Fairydean: E. Turnbull, M. Fairburn, A. Brown, P. Young, G. Lothian, G. Gass (D. Bowie), J. Wilson, B. Miller (G. Rossi), M. Berry, S. Nightingale (R. Hewitson), J. Hay.

Hawick Royal Albert: S. West, R. Fleming, A. Noble, G. Young, P. Russell, G. Clee (I. Zenati), K. McCulloch (J. Paterek), D. Hogg, B. Nwanze, P. Power, C. Beattie.

Vale of Leithen 2

Gretna 2008 3

IMAGE PRINTERS CUP SECOND ROUND

DAVE RYCE reports from Victoria Park

IT’S SAFE to say that the past month has not been the greatest for Vale.

Four straight defeats which have seen them tumble out of three cup competitions and lose their unbeaten league record, conceding 16 goals in the process, have rocked the confidence gained from their earlier 10-game run without loss.

But Saturday’s Image Printers Cup tie was the most frustrating of them all.

Gretna are certainly not a bad side, but appear to be a young team in transition under new management.

Vale, with the edge on experience, should have been too wily for their visitors, but ended up doing more to beat themselves than Gretna did.

While a hesitant start saw the Innerleithen outfit fail to hit their stride, at least they appeared to be heading for the half-time break in front after Jerry Draper curled a free kick into the net from 25 yards in the 42nd minute.

But during added time at the end of the first period, Chris Gordon lunged into Gretna’s Adam Main from behind in the area.

Referee Daniel McFarlane was left with no other option than to point to the spot and captain Dean Rea dispatched the penalty.

The start of the second half saw Vale starting to impose themselves, but Gretna caught them on the break and a quickfire double from striker Dean Armstrong put them in the driving seat.

In the 63rd minute, Armstrong won a battle at the edge of the area with Jamie Paterson and his shot found the net via a post, with keeper Sinclair Inglis rooted to the spot.

Less than two minutes later, Wayne Sproule knocked an attempted clearance straight to the feet of Armstrong, who gratefully accepted the chance to give his side a two-goal cushion.

Danny Noon pulled a goal back for Vale in the 72nd minute as he slid in to knock home a Draper cross.

Vale pressed hard for the goal that would take proceedings into extra time, but keeper Kyle Townsley saved from the feet of Vale substitute Kayne Paterson in injury time to ensure a third-round place for the visitors.

Vale of Leithen: S. Inglis, J. Paterson, J. Draper, C. Gordon, J. Blaikie, S. Devlin, W. Sproule, C. Inglis, S. Moffat, D. Noon, M. Smith (K. Paterson 61).

Hawick Legion Rovers 3

Gala Athletic 1

BAL DIVISION C

ATHLETIC scored the only goal of an evenly fought first half when Mike McCauley scored his second goal in as many games.

Following the changeover, however, Liam Lawrence put Rovers on level terms after being set up by Andrew Tinlin.

Rovers then took the lead when a Gala player headed a Luke Cooper shot into his own net.

After Rovers’ Jordan Caldwell had been sent off for dissent, Gala began to push for an equaliser, but Rovers’ Chay Caldwell, the younger brother of the dismissed Jordan, beat the visiting keeper with a fine shot on the turn to secure victory for the homesters.

INNERLEITHEN’S Murray Davidson has targeted further involvement with the Scotland team after making his international debut last week.

The St Johnstone midfielder earned his first cap as a late substitute as interim national team boss Billy Stark secured a 2-1 win in Luxembourg in a midweek fixture.

Davidson’s appearance may have lasted only a few minutes, but it was the first time a Borders player had represented Scotland for four years, since Kevin Thompson in 2008, making him only the eighth player in the region to have done so.

His latest call-up has supporters back home hoping that whoever takes over the top job will keep faith with their rising star.

“It really rankles when these players only get brought off the bench for a few minutes,” said current Leithen Rovers coach Paul Graham.

“He deserves a chance to prove himself in the Scotland set-up and I really hope he gets it. Everyone in Innerleithen is as proud as punch that Murray got his full cap. He was a small lad when he played in the town, but he never let it hamper him and he has a great attitude towards the sport.”

Speaking after the game, Murray told the SPL’s official YouTube channel: “I’m delighted to get the cap. There has been a lot of support from St Johnstone – the fans, the players and people working here – so I’m thrilled.”

After impressive performances for Leithen Vale, Davidson started his senior career with Livingston, where he impressed during the 2008–09 season.

At the end of the season he signed a three-year contract with St Johnstone and made his debut playing in a 5–0 win over Stenhousemuir in the Co-operative Insurance Cup.

He won his first Scotland Under-21 cap in August 2010 in a 1–1 draw with Sweden in the UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifiers.

This came at the third time of asking after being previously called up, but having to withdraw through injury.

In November 2010, Davidson was called up by Scotland manager Craig Levein to the full squad to face the Faroe Islands in a friendly at Pittodrie and again to face Brazil at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, but did not make an appearance in either game.

The day before it was sublime; everything was captured in a moment of time that lasted all day – the waters were still and the world reflected perfectly in the deep blue. Quickening breath and limbs working on the hummocky mountain side had stopped. We were walking on the tame street with sightseers wearing sunglasses. We were eating in a busy café where families sat at large tables and foreign couples sat outside in the sun.

I sat on a window seat on top of a flat cushion covered in a tweedy fabric – the sun was on my back. I was with my parents but felt like an observer – not part. I thought of the town’s name – Ullapool – almost onomatopoeic on this day. She was like an ethereal settlement hidden in the Highlands – the pier is silhouetted against the sun and pools of reflected light melt on to water.

It seemed dark by the River Connich when a landrover and a pick-up pulled up beside us. Two groups were going out deer stalking – would our walk up Sgorr na Diollaid (nicknamed Sgurr na Dolly by my father) be thwarted? After a short discussion that I did not hear, the verdict was that we were given passage, as long as we went straight up and straight down; easier said than done.

We were heading for the most prominent knoll north of where we parked. Rising steeply in front of us in a deep-burnt amber were the lion’s head-type tops of Mam Charaidh and Carn Doire Leithe. The former hill means breast of the grave plots, mam referring to a breast shape and charaidh meaning graves. The latter was more difficult to find a meaning for, but may mean cairn by the side (leithe) of the oaks (doire).

These two topographical features were like the gateposts to the mountain; a mountain that seemed to have disappeared. All the while stags roared on the other side of the glen. The first part of the ascent was up broken, narrow and dark peat paths. On the east side of Mam Charaidh a surprisingly tall rock face loomed and a small army of boulders came towards us.

Looking back down to the glen’s floor, we noted there was still a harsh frost over the grasses, trees and tracks – a temperature inversion. Of course the body temperature rises as well as you climb and climb.

Once we had passed this wall we were cast on to a boggy moor; a landscape which belied the hill we were approaching. Just above the 650m contour, Dad, John and I entered Sgorr na Diollaid’s boulder field. The rocks were huge and peppered with snow, the landscapes between them in the distance gloomy and wintry, yet beautiful in their own glowering way.

This route was complicated and as we moved the crags seemed to get closer together. We wound our way through the obstacles. When the gradient lessened we saw the strange castellated summit of our mountain.

The summit comprises a strap of high rock with two towers. This place is awe inspiring, Tolkien in stature and myth-invoking geology.

The need to reach the top became more urgent as my blood pumped harder with exertion and my eyes drove my desire.

The true summit is on the easterly tower. I dropped my rucksack at the bottom and excitedly scrambled up to the tiny top, furnished with the most pitiful cairn I have seen; there was no room for anything else on this knife edge. I was concerned to realise that my dad’s friend was nervous of the scramble, so we both talked him through the steps up. Eventually the three of us were perched on rock edges.

Leaving this fortified summit, we headed west. I left Dad and John at the bealach as I continued round the hummocky ridge to a Corbett top – a small cairn, snow, an elegant view of the summit I had just left and snow-topped mountains in the west fading into the grey, cold sky.

Then he ran past me. On my descent, a huge stag galloped in front of my path. He came from the east and he was so close I could see the hair on his mane move.

Thanks a lot for all your waxwing sightings, which are still coming in. Most poignant was from A.F. who told me he had a solitary bird which he watched from his kitchen window.

He was quite excited as he hadn’t seen a waxwing for years. His excitement, however, was short lived, as was the bird, as minutes later it flew into the window and broke its neck.

On a happier note, I recently hopped on a bus for my annual bird watching day out to Berwick and what a joy it turned out to be. I chose a gloriously sunny day for the job and after a particularly early start, I arrived in Berwick at around 10am, just as the sun was warming up.

I left the bus at the station and cut down by the castle, heading for the river, as I planned to walk up the estuary to the bypass bridge, before exploring the coast. The first bird I encountered was a kestrel, hovering above the steep grassy bank and it was a good bird to kick off the day’s birding.

There is a good path all the way to the bridge and it was here I stopped to chat to an elderly man who spoke with a strong local accent. He was watching something in a patch of scrub and curiosity got the better of me, so I had to stop. He said he thought he could see bullfinches in a low hawthorn tree, but wasn’t sure as his eyesight was failing. He was once a keen bird watcher, but sadly he now struggled. His vision may have been impaired, but he was spot-on with his identification, as I quickly had them located with my binoculars.

The tide was fully in as I moved up the river, causing hundreds of birds to rest on the big grassy island in midstream, until the water receded, exposing their food supply once more. There were lapwings, curlews, redshanks, cormorants, herons and several gull species, which all added to my already growing bird list for the day.

Once over the bridge, the path returns to Berwick, bordering arable fields, providing a different habitat and hence some different birds. Here I watched large flocks of linnets and chaffinches feeding on seeds in a set-aside field, while on the river a huge mixed flock of Canada and greylag geese quietly contemplated their next move.

Once back in town, I re-crossed the river by the old bridge and headed for the beach behind the pier to try and track down some waders. Before that I had a warming coffee from my flask and a couple of rolls, out of the cold wind, in the wooden shelter by the pier. Here, I was entertained watching a couple of gulls tap-dancing on the mown grass. The patter of their feet sounds like heavy rain to unsuspecting worms, who head for the surface and quickly become lunch. As I watched the birds were amazingly successful.

On the beach, the receding tide provided an epic display of wading birds all chasing the waves to scoop up the countless invertebrates stirred up by the surf.

The species watched were into double figures with grey plover and purple sandpiper probably the best. All too soon it was time to head back into town for my bus back home, but not before I had logged a creditable 44 species. Not a bad November day’s birding.

EUROPEAN conservationists were in the Borders earlier this month for a conference on saving red squirrels.

More than 50 attended the cross-border conference co-organised by Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels (SSRS) at Paxton House in Berwickshire.

Selkirk-based SSRS project officer Karen Ramoo said: “It was heart-warming to see the commitment of locals in the area who have sprung into action over the years to help save and protect this iconic species by getting involved with SSRS – the first project to tackle red squirrel conservation on a national scale.

“Getting everyone to work together on a cross-border, co-ordinated approach to grey squirrel control has made significant progress on giving reds a fighting chance of a long-term future.”

The meeting was attended by landowners and volunteers from across southern Scotland and northern England, as well as representatives of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, the European Squirrel Initiative (ESI) and Ford and Etal Estates.

ESI chairman George Farr said: “The greatest threat to the red squirrel in Scotland comes from squirrel pox infected greys.

The presence of the disease speeds up the decline of reds by 20 times – and reds have no resistance. It is critical that we stop infected greys spreading further north into Scotland. We must ensure that landowners, gamekeepers, volunteers and Government agencies all play their part in controlling grey squirrels, allowing reds to return and thrive.” added Mr Farr.

Money is available through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) to control grey squirrels though the programme finishes next year.

Surveyors Edwin Thompson’s Patrick Playfair told the conference: “Applications, particularly in significant numbers, would help to alert the Scottish Government to the level of feeling among the rural community to the plight of the reds. It would also raise awareness of the issue with the authorities and could result in money being specifically allocated to squirrel applications.”

Hhe hoped it might even leave applicants first in line for whatever scheme replaces SRDP and he advised it is possible to apply for other biodiversity grants.

Anyone wanting to help by trapping and culling grey squirrels should contact Ms Ramoo on 01750 23446 or 07733 121838 or email karen@redsquirrels.org.uk

THERE will be music in the lecture theatre this month when the Royal Scottish Geographic Society welcomes its third speaker of the season. Jasper Winn is a freelance writer who has made life his study – he is the ultimate free spirit. Jasper will be recounting his three-and-a-half-month solo kayak trip around Ireland’s 1,000-mile coastline through word and music.

His writing and horse-riding skills have given him a rich and varied life. The publications he has written for include the Sunday Times, the Guardian, GQ, Harpers and Queen, CNN Traveller and the Geographical Magazine. Currently, he has a weekly column in the Irish Examiner and regular articles in the Irish Field.

Jasper told TheSouthern: “I knew that I wanted to be a writer from the age of eight – school seemed something of an irrelevance after that point; not for the best of reasons, but because it seemed that as a ‘writer’ I could spend the rest of my life doing interesting things under the guise of research without having to do any one thing for too long.

“That idea does seem to have worked out.”

While growing up, Jasper’s love of travel was already instilled in his genes. He was born in England and the family moved from Kent, to Sussex, to Gloucestershir. Then at the age of eight they moved to Ireland where he was brought up and still lives.

“My mother was partly brought up in Ireland and with horses, so they were always the major part of her life – and her father’s too; by some quirk of late fatherhood he was on horseback in the Boer War.

“Horses were just part of life on her side and so there was no question about it: both my sister and I were brought up with horses as a way of life more than as a pastime or a hobby.

“In my case I was led around in a basket on top of a Shetland rather than pushed in a pram.”

With this eccentric upbringing, coupled with a father who was an inventor, Jasper had the foundations to lead a haphazard life, existing within the vagaries of being an independent writer.

However, his skills have also been sought for radio, television and film.

Most recently he has acted as story and location consultant and horse wrangler for the Trinity Films IMAX production, Ride Around the World.

With horses seeming to be the predominant influence in Jasper’s life, he explained why kayaking is also part of his repertoire.

“My father had very much less interest in horses; but anything mechanical intrigued him – and so he liked engines; cars, planes and boats. There were various dramatic adventures at sea with my father when I was growing up – usually in unseaworthy, or at least unreliable, craft and usually powered by steam.

“In Ireland we lived within sight of the sea and I was interested in wildlife and so spent a lot of time on the coast. Sailing and boats were a West Cork norm, and so messing around in boats happened naturally.”

Despite travelling and working around the world in areas including West Africa, Cuba, Venezuela, Mali, and Kyrgyzstan, Jasper seems to leave his heart or his hat in Ireland.

He said: “I’ve been reading Peter Somerville-Large’s books recently. This prompted me to remember that as a 13 or 14-year-old I read his The Coast of West Cork about a December cycle trip along the coast of West Cork.

“Its mix of history, meetings with people, asides and self-deprecating humour was, I think, the first and greatest influence on my idea of what it was to be a writer; low-key, no fuss or sponsorship, but just getting on an old bike or a kayak or a horse and setting off to ramble, steered by chance and curiosity and stories.”

Jasper Winn’s lecture, Paddle: A Long Way Around Ireland, with music, is on Tuesday, November 27, at Heriot-Watt University in Galashiels, at 7.30pm.

Check out Jasper’s blog at 
www.theslowadventure.com

A 41-year-old man will appear at Selkirk Sheriff Court this morning charged with an alleged assault in a Peebles shop.

A 52-year-old woman was attacked at a premises on the High Street on Tuesday, November 13.

Detectives are continuing to investigate a second report of assault on a 41-year-old woman in Dovecot Road on Saturday and anyone who has information is asked to contact the police.

Those with information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.

POLICE are appealing for information on a Traquair man who has been missing since Monday morning.

Angus Clyde was last seen leaving his home at around 7.10am and his family believed he was heading to work.

However, he failed to show up and when he did not return home that evening, his family contacted the police.

The 58-year-old’s Toyota Yaris car was later found within a car park at the nearby Thornielee Woods and officers have been conducting local enquiries to trace him.

He is described as white, 5ft 10ins tall with a muscular build, short black, but greying hair with blue eyes and glasses. He was believed to be wearing a navy body warmer, dark green overall and black boots.

Inspector Mike Wynne said: “Mr Clyde has now been missing for a number of days without making contact with family or friends and officers have yet to locate him during their enquiries.

“We are now keen to hear from members of the public who may have seen him anytime since 7.10am on Monday and would urge anyone with information as to his whereabouts to contact police immediately.”