Main funding schemes for farmers will be rolled over into 2014 as the reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) kicks in, European politicians agreed earlier this week.

Bridging arrangements will be made for Single Farm Payment, Less Favoured Area support and existing agri-environmental work in the move agreed on Monday.

NFU Scotland president, Nigel Miller described the news as “welcome”.

He said: “The key funding priorities for Scottish agriculture in 2014 – SFP, LFASS and existing five-year agri-environment agreements – now appear to be covered, but finding money for other items on the rural development wishlist will remain difficult.”

“Farmers already face the likelihood of financial discipline reducing their direct support, so it is clear that every penny that can be delivered to farm businesses will count.

The plans were outlined at Monday’s EU Council meeting in Luxembourg and mean there will be no gap between the existing CAP and the new policy.

Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead similarly welcomed the agreement, also hoping the wishlist, including the likes of support for new farmers, would also get support.

He said.”Although it is a huge step in the right direction, we will continue to seek maximum flexibility and the availability to roll the whole programme – including for example support for new entrants, food grants and village halls – forward for another year to the beginning of 2015, to ensure we can support all our priority areas.”

John Swan Ltd managing director Jack Clark retires on Tuesday. But you will find the St Boswells auctioneer in the ring, gavel in hand, at the company’s weekly sale on Monday.

Jack steps down after 48 years with the company, the last 20 as MD, however, he will continue as a non-executive director of parent organisation John Swan and Sons Plc.

“It’s 48 years and I wonder where it’s gone,” he said. “They say time flies when you are enjoying yourself. I have been very fortunate.”

From Lanarkshire, Jack joined Swans aged 16 in 1965, selling young pigs in the Edinburgh market. He moved to St Boswells in 1970, when he also started selling at Kelso Ram Sales (he is just eight years short of equalling his Borderer father Ian’s record of 50 years selling at the same sales). And perhaps his chosen career was in the genes, for his grandfather, a Berwickshire farmer, and his brother, Jack’s great uncle, were livestock agents even before auctions started in the mid-1800s.

The top price Jack brought his gavel down on was an Aberdeen Angus heifer at 15,000 guineas and he said he feels nerves before a sale even now.

The former amateur point-to-point jockey said: “On Monday I was selling sheep. I still got worked up before the sale started. The day you don’t get worked up, forget it.”

He explained: “It’s keeping your concentration. In years gone by it wasn’t unheard of to be selling for five or six hours. Afterwards you sleep. It dehydrates you.”

He is hopeful for the future of marts.

“The auction ring continues to set the benchmark in values. The auctioneer’s job is to hold a steady balance between the buyers and the sellers, and ensure that one doesn’t get preferential treatment over the other,” and that is what marks out a good auctioneer, he said.

Highlights of his career are “being involved in a company I have been privileged to work for and to be working in one of the best stock breeding areas in the UK”.

But a “black spot” in the last five decades was the blight of Foot and Mouth in the region in 2001.

He said: “I did the first valuation during foot and mouth in 2001. It changed the face of livestock production and it changed a lot of people’s outlook. A lot of good stock disappeared, sheep disappeared and the shepherds went with them.”

The horseman plans to spend more time with his wife Gemma and 15-year-old daughter Fallon. He has an eventer and point to pointer, so slipper and golfing are out. And he said he will be “pursuing other interests”.

Meanwhile, there will be a presentation to him at Carfraemill next Thursday. And the company is going to Kelso Races on May 26 when staff, family and close friends will celebrate Jack’s career so far.

“There’ll be a bit of craic,” he said.

Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) has announced it needs a masterplan to develop Glentress.

FCS opened the £8.5million visitor centre, shop, cafe and car park at the mountain biking mecca in the Tweed Valley in 2011.

Now, says FCS’s communities and recreation manager Hugh McKay, a strategy is needed to prevent any piecemeal development as companies clamour to be involved.

“Every month we are approached by businesses eager to talk to us about future development potential, but we do not want to do this in a piecemeal way,” he said.

“This is where the new Glentress masterplan comes in as it will take a very thorough look at the bigger picture that could be offered.”

Initial work on the plan has started, but a key component will be listening to the views of the local community, businesses and forest users to find out their ideas for the future.

Hugh said: “We’ve worked very hard to build in better income streams at Glentress. We are moving towards a more self-supporting status where we break even, but we still have a long way to go.”

He said it had been “a busy but good first year” for the award-winning Glentress Peel, with more than 301,000 visits.

Workshops for key stakeholders are scheduled early next month, with open days for the public on May 24-25 at Glentress Peel.

Promise I’ll move on to odd-shaped veg or how to strip down and rebuild an old Fergie tractor next week. This week it’s chickens again.

I make no apologies for this as I have to draw your attention to a serious malfunction in the egg supply chain (air raid siren sound effect here) and this is bad news for my (tax free, remember?) farm gate sales.

The problem? A hen is laying away. It may sound fairly innocuous, but laying away is possibly the worst crime a chicken could commit. Other than running to the nearest wood with open wings squawking: ‘Come and get me, Mr Fox’.

Laying away is where a hen decides that those fantastic nest boxes you have lovingly fashioned out of old wine boxes, carefully placed in darkened corners of the coop, and thoughtfully lined with finest hay/straw, sourced (this is beginning to sound like those M&S adverts) as the result of a long quest to discover a rare purveyor of that Holy Grail of small-scale smallholding – the small, square bale.

If we wannabes had to buy and store those big, round, cling-wrapped bales – the monoliths of modern farming – most of us wouldn’t have any room for the actual livestock. The chooks/two pigs/token alpaca/three sheep would have plenty of bedding – but no actual bed to sleep in.

And hens laying away are dangerous! Like a hen run Pied Piper, she will lead others to abandon the daily drudge of the trek to the nest box to lay an egg. They will try to out-do each other by finding exciting new (and almost impossible to find) places to lay. The first thing you notice is suddenly there are far fewer eggs and, by the time you find them, they could have been there ages, waaaaay to long to sell/eat them. Bad, bad chicken.

Anarchy is spreading through the run like a sickness bug in a primary school. No hen is safe. This week alone I have watched as a chook of previously good character jumped into a cockerel’s run, popped indoors, laid in a random corner, popped out, pecked some of his corn and had a bit of how’s-yer-faither before fluttering back.

Another had jumped into the incinerator Gamford, the faithful retainer (my dad, actually, chief gardener, DIY-er and chook wrangler) made from a 40-gallon drum. Luckily, it had gone out a while before, but it must have been the warm ash that attracted her. A few hours earlier, he had been burning some brash and it was blazing merrily. Roast chicken with a boiled egg on the side, anyone?

One walk is sold out and the trail run and half marathon are booking up fast in Langholm’s first outdoors festival next month.

The Muckle Toon Adventure Festival (MTAF) has been organised by volunteers and features walking, running, mountain biking, road cycling and children’s activities over three days from May 17.

Secretary Eve Johnson said: “Community groups and the high street traders are all being really supportive. There have been strong early ticket sales across all events.

“We have got entries from all over – Wales, Edinburgh, Glasgow – as well as the Borders and quite a few people from the north east.

“The highlights will be the atmosphere and buzz around the events village (at “basecamp” at the town’s rugby club), with the cyclists coming in and out, the runners, walkers, families with kids taking part in the activities.

“We are over the moon to have[(round the world cyclist, author and broadcaster] Mark Beaumont coming on the Saturday; his talk in the Buccleuch Centre will be fantastic.”

The festival organising committee of 12 teamed up with Evans Cycles to hold some of the bike shop chain’s national Ride It! outings.

The Friday evening will see a one-mile uphill time trial for road cyclists to win the King and Queen of the Mountain title.

Saturday brings 15-and 25-mile mountain bike marathons on trails around Langholm.

The booked-out Meikeldale Loop also leaves Saturday morning and another guide later in the morning will take walkers on the Thomas Telford Trail to the birthplace of the influential engineer.

Dr Cat Barlow of the Langholm Moor Project will lead the River Esk exploration for children on Saturday morning.

The off-road Muckle Toon Trail half marathon and 10km runs leave basecamp at 1pm on Saturday. Later that afternoon, children have the chance to go on a one-and-a-half-hour nature trail and there’s a guided walk along the Esk to the historic Roon House

Mark’s presentation, covering his major expeditions, takes place at 7.30pm that night.

Sunday brings the Evans Cycles Ride It! 90-, 60- and 30-mile sportives, taking in the Eskdale valley, Gretna Green, over the border to Kershope Forest and back up to Newcastleton. Meanwhile, walkers will be out on the Whita Nature Trail with Cat, discovering the moorland.

Eve said: “The Whita Nature walk is a fantastic opportunity to take in the distinctive moorland landscape of the Langholm and Newcastleton hills and spot some of our resident hen harriers, buzzards, kestrels and merlins.”

Others have the chance to enjoy the Langfauld and ­Castle Hill walk, and interested children will be taking part in the mini mountain bike race. There is also a heritage walk around the town and riverside at noon on Sunday and, in the afternoon, a mini trail run for children.

Eve added: “The events village will welcome visitors with food, drink, cycle demos, promotional merchandise, children’s activities, nature talks, bike maintenance tents and of course the body maintenance tent to help sooth all our participants aches and pains.”

For more information and anyone wanting to help at the event should contact the organisers through the website, www.muckletoonadventurefestival.co.uk or via facebook.

Contractors BAM Nuttall say they would support moves to introduce speed restrictions on the A7 while the Borders Railway is built.

Commuters have seen further traffic on the route north of Galashiels as the completion date of summer 2015 gets nearer.

And in the last two weeks four accidents have been reported within a quarter of a mile of the Fountainhall junction, including one involving a BAM Nuttall vehicle.

At a meeting in Stow Town Hall, one local said: “Something needs to be done to slow the traffic down or there is going to be something serious happen.

“After the works are finished it will be fine, but there is going to more frustration among drivers and it is going to get worse during the next two years.”

BAM project manager Stuart McKay said his company shared their concerns. He added: “BAM would fully support the community and we would like to see some speed restrictions.”

Jonathan Hepton of Scottish Borders Council told the meeting: “We have had discussions with BAM and Network Rail about this and will be regularly updating to ensure the road is as safe as possible.”

Mr McKay confirmed a major increase in work in the Gala Water valley in the next two months will lead to job opportunities.

Employee numbers will increase from 200 at present to between 400 and 450 this summer. Mr McKay added: “In total, there will be around 1,100 people working directly, and indirectly through sub-contractors, on the line.”

Local councillor Sandy Aitchison added: “With the end of the academic year coming up, it is encouraging that will be jobs available.”

Anyone wishing to apply can request an application form from the Borders Railway website.

British Transport Police have warned Borderers that walking across the Borders Railway line will result in arrest.

Inspector Angela McGregor said: “It is an offence to trespass on a railway line and anyone caught will be charged.”

Christine Grahame MSP, a long-term supporter of the Borders Railway, was shown round the project’s Langhaugh Road base in Galashiels on Tuesday.

She was joined by Ken MacGillivray project manager of Network Rail, left, and Jonathan Roach, section manager south for BAM Nuttall.

A new ambulance station should be built in the grounds of Borders General Hospital and will save lives, a planning appeal reporter has said.

Philip Hutchinson made the comment in his decision notice, which was issued on Tuesday and overturned the council’s refusal of planning permission in November.

Mr Hutchinson said: “The benefits will include much improved response times relative to the existing situation over a large part of the surrounding area. I am satisfied that this will save lives.”

His ruling, subject to any legal action by the council, will also enable NHS Borders to build a £1.8million health centre at the existing base in Roxburgh Street, Galashiels.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service’s planning agents said: “This decision...draws our clients’ five-year site search to a successful conclusion, very much to community benefit by releasing the existing site on Roxburgh Street for the new health centre and, moreover, through the saving of lives facilitated by the reduction in response times.”

The ambulance station will be built close to the main junction into the hospital grounds.

A spokesman said the council was surprised and disappointed by the decision.

A condition of the approval is that there needs to be compensatory planting to replace trees removed for the station.

Councillors refused the plans partly due to concerns over loss of trees and the impact on views of the Eildons.

Construction of new state-of-the-art sports facilities at Peebles High School will start in May.

New indoor facilities will be created, as well as a 2G synthetic pitch and sprint track outdoors. The work is expected to last a year.

Leading from the front at the Beltane Festival in Peebles will be Cornet Daniel Williamson and Cornet’s Lass Susan Thomson - both of whom are steeped in the Beltane tradition.

They were named at a public ceremony in the town on Friday night when the identities of other key principals were also made known.

The young Beltane Queen – who will be selected next month – will be crowned on the steps of the Parish Church by Mrs Theresa Hindhaugh who is no stranger to the Beltane.

This year’s Warden of Neid­path is James Moffat, a stalwart of Tweeddale Rovers Football Club.

The honour of Warden of the Cross Kirk goes to the Reverend Malcolm Jefferson, the minister at St Andrew’s Leckie linked with Lyne and Manor.

And the Boundary Reader is local solicitor Struan Ferguson who was Dux Boy at St Ronan’s Primary School at Innerleithen during the 1999 Games Week.

Cornet Elect Williamson told The Southern: “I am absolutely overwhelmed – this is truly living the dream. As a member of the silver band I have watched many cornets being installed but it was unbelievable even to think that one day it would be me. It is really fantastic and I am so proud and looking forward so much to representing Peebles elsewhere.”

Cornet Elect Williamson was educated at Priorsford Primary and Peebles High Schools. He was playing in the senior silver band aged 11 and leads the development section of the band. He currently plays with Newtongrange..

His career in the health service began at Peebles Nursing Home and he is now with NHS Lothian while undertaking a bachelor of nursing course at Napier University.

On previous Beltane Red Latter Days he has been a mouse, a Mexican and a penguin.

By his side this summer will be family friend Susan Thomson who has ridden the marches for the past 25 years and her previous Beltane characters have included a fairy, a sailor girl and a Lady in Waiting.

Daniel commented: “She is a real friend of the family and has worked with horses and trained former cornets and their lassies with Alastair Hogarth at Linglie Farm at Selkirk. She loves Peebles and truly deserves to be Cornet’s Lass.”

Susan attended Priorsford Primary and Peebles High. After a spell as a lifeguard at her local swimming pool she now works in the accident and emergency department of the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh.

Jimmy Moffat, the Warden of Neidpath, served his apprenticeship as a joiner 
with Renwick & Weir in the town had has been a maintenance officer with Wemyss & March Estates for more than 30 years. He has also served Tweeddale Rovers for 25 years including a spell as their manager.

Cross Kirk Warden Malcolm Jefferson was a community worker before returning to university to train as a minister.

After probation at Liberton Kirk in Edinburgh, he moved to St Andrew’s Leckie in March last year.

Crowning Lady Theresa Hindhaugh‘s brother and uncle – Michael Rice and David Wright – are both ex-cornets and she has been helped make the Beltane costumes for 23 years.

The new Kelso Laddie was introduced to cheering crowds on Friday evening as sunshine streamed into the town’s historic Georgian Square.

Proud Calum Thomson of Tanners Court, told TheSouthern: “I’m thrilled to bits. I’m looking forward to the Yetholm ride, the bussing, carrying the Burgh Standard on the Saturday and going to the other Borders towns visiting the other principals.”

The 20-year-old will have plenty of help from his best pal, Callum Vickers, last year’s Kelso Laddie who is this year’s Right Hand Man, and Left Hand Man Phil Hume.

And there’s always his dad, David, to ask for advice, for his father was Kelso Laddie in 1984. Mum Vera and sister, Emma, 19, are also delighted for Calum: “My family are really chuffed,” he said.

The young golfer attended Broomlands Primary and Kelso High Schools before becoming a joiner for the Duke of Roxburghe.

He describes his horse riding skills as “mediocre”: he first took lessons last year to follow Callum and will be brushing up for the summer.

Also introduced on Friday night were the Lady Bussers, house captain Carly Thom, 11, and 12-year-old Fiona Lessenger of Broomlands Primary School, and from Edenside Primary School, p7 pupil Ellie Scott, 11 and vice-house captain, Holly Hay, 12.

All said they were proud to be chosen and were looking forward to the mid-week ceremony when they will buss the Burgh Standard and dance a reel.

Joiner Alan Stewart was hailed as West Linton’s Whipman for 2013 at the Peeblesshire village’s Introduction Concert last Friday.

Penicuik-born builder Alan, whose passion for football gave him the nickname “Poacher”, said he was “extremely honoured and proud” to be chosen as this year’s Whipman.

Since studying at St David’s High School in Dalkeith, Alan Alan, 48m has played for many local amateur footballs teams, like Tweeddale, Penicuik Rovers and Dalmore, and now enjoys watching Hibernian, and also playing and coaching for Linton Hotspur. He is father to three children, Ryan (16), Katie (13) and Logan (eight), and husband to Susan, who becomes the Whipman’s Lass.

Susan, who was born in Edinburgh but studied at Penicuik High School, met Alan at a football dance in 1987, and the couple married in 1989. After moving to West Linton in 1994, Susan started her own Little Monkeys childminding business, and chaired both the toddler group and playgroup committees.

Learning to ride a horse should be easy for this 
sporty Whipman (his first riding lesson was on Wednesday), for he is a fan of skiing and golf. Susan loves hiking, and has trekked along the Great Wall of China, through the Grand Canyon and to Everest Base Camp – proving she has the stamina to lead the Lion Cub Scout Pack, while also studying towards a BA/BSc in mathematics and Statistics with the Open University.

According to the traditions of one of the Borders’ oldest festivals, residents of the district, including the villages of West Linton, Carlops, Newlands, Kirkurd, Lamancha and Dolphinton, voted on their choice of Whipman in a secret ballot in February.

Alan told The Southern: “The hardest part was keeping it a secret from West Linton, and the kids. But to see their faces on the night was fantastic.”

This year’s other principals were named as Jack Farrand (Barony Herald), Lily Doyle (Flower Girl), and Janette Blackwood (Presenting Lady).

The Whipman and Lass will be installed on Friday 31st May, before they lead the floats around the village.

It was something both Daniel Whitehead and Lucy Black admit they have pondered and considered for a number of years.

But any doubts the Galashiels pair had about becoming Braw Lad and Lass vanished on Friday night as a huge crowd welcomed the town’s 77th Gathering representatives.

Daniel, 21, has plenty family ties to the festival, with mum Alison an attendant in 1981, as was his late granddad Jimmy “Knickers” Robertson in 1954, while cousin Craig Whitehead was Braw Lad ten years ago.

A customer services assistant from the town’s Santander branch, Daniel said: “Friends and family have been telling me to go for the Braw Lad for the last few years but I only felt ready this year.

“I was so nervous before I stepped out on to the balcony but there were so many people I could not see any 
faces.

“I preferred to keep it quiet and only my mum and dad found out I was to be Braw Lad – that way it was a big surprise for everyone else.”

Lucy’s announcement as Braw Lass produced tears of joy for younger sister Chloe McGurk, a primary seven pupil at the Burgh School, who had no idea her older sibling was to take on the role.

The 23-year-old, a sporting manager at Braidwood Clays near Selkirk, added: “It is nice because Chloe is stepping up to Gala Academy this year from the Burgh, where I also attended.

“I have thought about it (Braw Lass) for a long time but have never felt ready.

“This year I just thought ‘go for it’.

“I have ridden the Gala Day before and live on Lawyer’s Brae right beside the Town Clock so the family always support the festival.”

This year’s attendants include Grand National winner Ryan Mania as Bearer of the Sod, while his 2012 Braw Lass Nicola Mackay is Bearer of the Red Roses. Lewis Playfair, 2011 Braw Lad, is Bearer of the Stone, and his Braw Lass Suzanne Henry is Bearer of the White Roses. Daniel and Lucy’s next engagement is Spurs Night on May 17.

DRIVERS on the A72 are likely to face disruption for ‘a number of weeks’, with traffic lights to remain in place following Friday’s landslide at Dirtpot corner.

A council spokesman told The Southern that a similar netting solution could be used on the newly affected area to that which was successfully installed at the turn of the year.

He added: “Traffic signals are likely to be in place for a number of weeks whilst a suitable longer term solution is determined and put in place.”

The road was closed for nearly 12 hours following the fall of stones and soil at around midnight on Thursday. The slide occurred about half a mile to the east of the infamous landslide spot at Dirtpot corner.

Following work to clear the road surface of the debris and carry out checks on the stability of the slope, traffic controls were put in place and the road was re-opened shortly before lunchtime on Friday.

Emergency work to clear the slope and further ensure its safety was carried out on Saturday. The council has said that the area concerned has not had a history of such problems. Rob Dickson, the council’s director of environment and infrastructure, said: “The landslip happened on a section of banking at Dirtpot corner that has not been affected by landslips in the past.”

The council is to meet with the landowner, the Forestry Commission, and Scottish Natural Heritage to discuss necessary longer term repair work on the slope.

Scottish National Heritage has to be involved as the affected area forms part of the Nut Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Despite a fall in the number of people unemployed and claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) in the Borders last month, the March figure was still the second highest in 12 months.

Figures released last week showed that 2,215 people were claiming JSA in mid-March, down 67 on the February total.

This represents 3.2 per cent of people of working age (16-64) in the area.

A detailed breakdown of JSA claimants in the Borders revealed that in March eight per cent of people of working age in the old Upper Langlee and Ladhope ward were claiming JSA, compared to just 1.1 per cent in the former West Linton and District ward.

Across Scotland there was a drop in unemployment last month.

A wedding guest who intimidated his former partner at a reception in Peebles was branded a bully.

David Stanton, 28, of Kingsland Square, Peebles, admitted threatening or abusive behaviour, shouting and swearing and acting in an intimidating manner towards his ex-partner at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club last weekend.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond, at Selkirk on Monday, told Stanton: “You are a bully.”

Deferring sentence for 12 months, with a condition not to contact his ex-partner, Sheriff Drummond warned the accused: “I promise that if you are involved in any further aggressive behaviour towards this lady, you will be going to jail.”

Prosecutor Catherine Hart said Stanton had been in an eight-year relationship with the woman, which ended in February last year. “He wishes to renew the relationship, but that is not reciprocated,” explained Ms Hart.

She said Stanton and the woman had attended separately at his cousin’s wedding reception and she had been at the bar when the accused approached and offered to buy her a drink.

The prosecutor continued: “She refused, saying she wanted nothing to do with him. She returned to a table with other wedding guests, but he followed and sat directly in front of her, and asked her why she wasn’t speaking to him.”

When the woman said she didn’t want to speak to him, Stanton replied: “You will speak to me.”

Ms Hart added: “She was so intimidated by his behaviour that she was unable to participate in the rest of the celebrations. She told police she was petrified of him and fearful of retribution.”

Defending, Mat Patrick said his client had lived with the woman for much of their eight-year relationship.

The lawyer added: “He had an accident and was in a coma, and she went to visit him in hospital. On his release some six weeks ago, he went to stay with her and she nursed him.

“The relationship at that time was fine, but they fell out after and coincidentally met up at his cousin’s wedding.

“He tried to engage her in conversation, but she left him in no doubt she didn’t want to speak to him. He shouted at her and upset her.”

Mr Patrick concluded: “He acknowledges that the relationship is unlikely to resume, but hopes they can be on good terms.”

Driver’s couple of joints

A DRIVER stopped for petrol at a garage and asked for tape to repair damage to his car which had been caused by a deer.

As Andrew Clamp paid for his fuel, it was noted his hands were shaking and he was slurring his words.

Clamp, 20, of Weensland Road, Hawick, pleaded guilty to driving a car when unfit through drink or drugs at the Edinburgh Road garage in Jedburgh and on the A68 on March 21. He also admitted driving without insurance and without a full licence.

Prosecutor Catherine Hart said Clamp called at the garage about 1am. A witness who was working there noticed the vehicle jumping forward and that the back of the car was extensively damaged.

She added: “When he went to the hatch to pay, she found him slurring his words and his hands were shaking. He said that the car had been struck by a deer and asked for tape to hold it together, and then tried to repair the extensive damage.

“He drove off on to the A68, with the vehicle jerking forward repeatedly.”

Ms Hart said police stopped the car about 20 minutes later.

She added: “It was immediately apparent he was under the influence of drink or drugs, and he provided a specimen, but no alcohol was detected. In the police vehicle he said he had had a couple of joints and at the charge bar said he had had diazepam.”

Sentence was deferred until May 13 for reports and Clamp was banned from driving meantime. A Crown application was made for a CRASBO (criminal antisocial behaviour order) to be considered.

A drunken man behaved in an abusive manner in Kelso and struggled with police.

Three officers had to take Stuart Carruthers to the ground and handcuff him after he lost his temper.

The 40-year-old, of Roxburgh Street in Kelso, appeared from custody at Jedburgh Sheriff Court last Friday.

He pleaded guilty to behaving in an abusive manner and struggling with police in Roxburgh Street the previous day.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the accused and his partner of three years had an argument, and Carruthers was shouting and swearing at her.

“She called the police and he was told he was being detained,” said Mr Fraser.

He went on: “When the officer went to pull out the handcuffs, the accused lost the rag, knocking items off a kitchen bench.

“He had to be put to the ground by three officers.”

Defence solicitor Rory Bannerman said his client’s relationship “may now be over”.

The lawyer went on: “He was very upset and went over the score, shouting and swearing at her.

“He was upset at difficulties in the relationship and this was compounded by alcohol.”

Sentence on Carruthers was deferred until May 17 while social workers compile background reports.

Nearly 130 sheep have been stolen from Tweeddale and the Gala Water Valley since the start of the year,

The Southern can reveal.

Both areas have been targeted by ruthless rustlers, despite many farms still counting the cost of the freezing conditions which killed thousands of animals across Scotland last month.

Community Inspector for the eastern Borders, Brian MacFarlane, said: “It is a double whammy for the farming community. Not only have they lost sheep during the severe winter weather, but they are also losing livestock through criminal activity.”

The first incident of 2013 saw six sheep lifted from a field at Heriot, followed by a further 44 being taken from Muirhouse Farm at Stow.

Another 21 animals were removed from a farm at Robinsland in West Linton, with 33 more being stolen from Winkston Hill near Peebles on April 8.

And the latest theft saw a further 15 sheep stolen from Baddinsgill Farm at West Linton last Tuesday.

Insp MacFarlane, who estimates that livestock theft has cost farmers in the Borders £250,000 over a 10-year period, added: “The northern section of the Borders seem to be getting targeted.

“Accessibility is a factor –all the sites are not far away from trunk roads, allowing the thieves to get away quickly.”

NFU Scotland’s president Nigel Miller, who farms at Stagehall near Stow, believes livestock theft is on the increase and called on members to be on the lookout for suspicious activity.

He added: “Has there been any unusual livestock transport vehicles in the area?

“Has there been any unusual activity at farm sales?

“Do you know of anyone who may be looking to sell more stock than they would normally? Are abattoirs and butchers being offered stock from unexpected or unusual sources?

“This impacts on the livelihood of members and we would encourage them to work with the police to track down these thieves,” Mr Miller warned, who said the culprits could be retagging the sheep.

A drug dealer from Hawick has been sent to prison for four-and-a-half years .

Forty-two-year-old Alexander Higgins was due to stand trial by jury on a charge of being concerned in the supply of heroin over a 10-month period at a house in Ramsay Road, Hawick.

But he changed his plea to guilty before the trial started at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Monday.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre imposed a five-year jail term, reducing it by six months because of Higgins’ admission to the crime which happened between March 2011 and January 2012.

Higgins’ brother, Joseph, who is 45, of Havelock Street, Hawick, had his not-guilty plea to being concerned in the supply of heroin accepted by the Crown.

But Joseph Higgins was fined a total of £1,000 – £750 for possession of heroin and another £250 for making racist remarks to a doctor at Hawick police station on January 12, 2012.