Police have urged farmers to secure their properties after thieves targeted various sites in Berwickshire and Lauder last weekend.

The attacks on various sites saw a Ford Focus car, diesel fuel, garden strimmers and a petrol chainsaw stolen.

A police spokesman said: “Outbuildings and vehicles should always be locked securely when unattended.”

The state of one of Selkirk’s oldest mills has been questioned.

A planning application by owner Matthew Claridge to turn the derelict Forest Mill into 16 flats and maisonettes is still to be decided, but Selkirkshire councillor Michelle Ballantyne said: “I think when the market is right we will see it spring into life.”

A bravura all-round performance by Darren Fenton proved the key ingredient in Selkirk’s latest victory in Division Five of the East of Scotland League.

The senior Fenton in the Selkirk side has often been overshadowed by his younger brother’s exploits but he may plausibly claim to be the most improved player at Philiphaugh this season. On Saturday his 47 runs and 4 wickets for 15 were vital as Selkirk defeated Livingston 2nd XI by 96 runs.

The victory means Selkirk remain top of the league with just six fixtures left.

In perfect conditions for batting, John Everitt won the toss and opted to have first crack. Greg Fenton fell for just 8, however, and when Everitt was unfortunate to be bowled for 28 - the ball cannoning off pad and elbow onto the stumps - Selkirk were in some danger.

A characteristically dogged innings from Stuart Skeldon and some equally characteristically clean-hitting from Darren Fenton salvaged the innings, however, and saw the Souters on their way to a respectable, if hardly intimidating, total of 155 all out.

Selkirk took the field knowing that quick wickets were needed to establish immediate supremacy. Three balls later Livingston were 0 for 2. John Graham took a fine catch at silly mid-on off the first ball; two balls later Rory Banks took an equally sharp chance, diving forward at silly mid-off. Reward for Fenton but also for some smart captaincy from Everitt who had noticed the tendency of some deliveries to “pop” off a good length.

From this point on Livingston’s innings never really recovered. Andy McKirgan took a magnificent catch behind the stumps and, in general, the Selkirk fielding was sharp and secure.

Darren Fenton had ended last week’s victory over Peebles with wickets off consecutive deliveries. Consequently he was on a hat-trick at Livingston. And - would you believe it? - his first ball duly clattered into the off-stump, sending Fenton leaping around like a gazelle hopped-up on crystal meth. Sometimes it is just your day.

Fenton added three more wickets before younger brother, Greg, returned to the attack to mop up the tail as Livingston were dismissed for 59 runs.

The result confirmed that Selkirk have the most potent bowling attack in the league. The question for the remaining six fixtures is whether their batsmen can score heavily enough to give the bowlers a chance to wreak their havoc.

A 60-year-old man became the latest motorcycling fatality on local roads after he collided with a car on the St Boswells road at the weekend.

John Southern, from Blyth in Northumberland, was riding with a large group of bikers when the crash occurred on Sunday afternoon, on bends just past the Lindean junction.

Mr Southern was taken by helicopter from the scene to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where he passed away during the night as a result of his injuries.

The driver of a Seat Leon car and two passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to the BGH for treatment.

The collision occurred between Mr Southern’s Triumph Tiger bike and the car at around 4.30pm, with the road closed for seven hours to allow crash investigation work and for a fuel spill to be cleaned up.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

The roads around Selkirk are popular amongst bikers, particularly in the summer months.

However, the popularity of the roads has also resulted in a high number of fatal accidents amongst motorcyclists.

The A708 around St Mary’s Loch has been the most dangerous stretch of road for bikers in the Borders.

In the eight years between 2002 and 2010, five bikers lost their lives after crashes on a short stretch of the route.

Kelso man Michael Bates, 47, was killed after his motorbike struck a tractor in Cumbria, also on Sunday afternoon.

Glen Douglas, 21, from Ettrick Terrace, and Neil Brown, 19, of Annfield Gardens, Galashiels, have denied conspiring to set fire to a car at Croft Road, Lauder, on September 18.

Brown also denies taking a car without consent in Galashiels and driving without insurance. They face a jury at the Sheriff Court on September 9.

A planning application has been submitted for a new micro brewery in Peebles’ South Park Industrial Estate.

Richard White of the Freewheelin’ Brewery Company already has planning permission to set up a micro brewery in West Linton following a bid in February.

St Boswells Live! is putting on a ceilidh for the first time in a bid to benefit a local fundraising group.

The Wild Geese Ceilidh Band will perform, having played since 1996, including public ceilidhs at the Ghillie Dhu and Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh.

Support will be provided by two talented local acts.

Opening the evening will be Highline, a group of young musicians, tutored by Borders fiddle maestro Carly Blain, who perform regularly across southern Scotland and Northumberland.

And at the interval, Jedburgh flute and whistler player Ayliffe Rose, who Keith Farnish of St Boswells Live! describes as a “true natural musician”, will play.

The show takes place on Saturday, July 27, with doors opening at 7.30pm.

Mr Farnish added: “All profits raised on the night, including raffle money, will be going to Lucie’s Fund, helping a sick local child and her family during a very difficult time.

“We are proud to be supporting this important cause.”

Tickets are available from St Boswells Post Office priced £10, £5 (under-16) and £25 (family of up to five).

Discounted briefs can be bought from the group’s website – www.stboswellslive.com.

Galashiels-based Volunteer Centre Borders picked up a ‘Committed to Excellence Award’ at the Scottish Awards for Business Excellence, which are organised by Quality Scotland.

“Our strengths as an organisation have been recognised, and our staff have had the opportunity to discuss future projects and plan how we can deliver them as a team,” said Volunteer Centre Borders’ executive officer Susan Swan.

DAWYCK Botanic Gardens will provide the setting for events taking place as part of the nationwide Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games cultural programme, which was unveiled this week.

During summer 2014, the gardens will host ‘Corroborree’, as part of a six-week arts festival celebrating indigenous culture and ecological diversity among the Commonwealth nations.

A group of established artists from across the Commonwealth countries specialising in different art forms will work alongside Scottish artists to create a range of work during residencies at the gardens.

There will also be lots of ways for the public to participate, through events, demonstrations and workshops.

A spokesperson for the project said: “Corroboree aims to be a green festival. Music will be unplugged, food will be local and healthy, transport will be sustainable and the plants and natural features of the gardens will be a prominent part of the celebrations.”

The cultural programme associated with the Commonwealth Games kicks off this year, with the majority of events happening from mid-June next year, when the Queen’s baton relay reaches Scotland, and then through the Games and beyond.

VETERAN Hawick athlete David Hush proved that silence is golden by winning the top event on the St Ronans Games card yesterday.

A beaten finalist in the Jed sprint the previous week Hush showed he was in with a shout of doing something in his 110m heat when roaring home in 11.56 seconds at the Victoria Park venue.

Competing from a mark of 22 metres 51-year-old Hush, a member of the Billy Edgar school, then earned himself a final place with an impressive cross tie victory in 11.40 seconds.

This win, earned him a last showdown alongside stable companion David Grieve of Hawick (14m), Graeme Armstrong of Edinburgh (16.5m) and TLJT pair Tommy Finkle (12m) and James Park (10m) plus Robbie Shirra-Gibb of St Boswells (7.5m).

In the final, former Morebattle Games 110 metres handicap winner, Hush delivered the goods to the full yet again, in surging through the tape in 11.46 seconds.

The other placings going the way of Armstrong and Grieve.

Full report and picture spread in this week’s Southern Reporter.

LAST summer’s floods in the Borders has prompted 10 Scottish councils and key agencies to join together to plan for extreme weather and the impact of climate change.

It is hoped that better planning will reduce the number of costly emergency operations.

The idea for the climate risk group came from Scottish Borders Council’s own emergency planning officer, Jim Fraser.

Mr Fraser said: “It can be a hard sell to justify spending money to prepare for climate risks in the future. But, as several Scottish local authorities know, the cost of repairing the damage can be much higher.

“I wanted to set up a project group with other Scottish local authorities to allow us to support and assist each other to tackle this challenge.”

Mr Fraser added: “Within our own local authority area we activated our emergency arrangements on a number of occasions to deal with last year’s flooding.

“The flooding in Jedburgh in August was declared a ‘major incident’ by the police, meaning lives could have been lost. This was a result of the exceptional level of rain that fell within a very short period of time.”

The first group meeting was held last Thursday and was facilitated by Adaptation Scotland, a Scottish Government-funded programme.

A batch of new contracts has given R.P. Adam an £800,000 boost and will help create new jobs, both at its Selkirk factory and in the field.

The agreements mean the firm’s cleaning chemical products will be used in more than 600 new sites, including Odeon cinemas, care homes and schools.

Managing director Robin Leith said an additional five members of staff will be employed in the UK by the end of the year, taking the total up to 70. Currently, 45 staff work at the company’s headquarters on one of Selkirk’s industrial estates.

Thirty staff are employed in Dubai, where subsidiary Arpal Gulf is based, and where the company first took an interest in the 1990s.

Its success has resulted in manufacturing starting there too, having exported to the region for decades.

Mr Leith said: “We set up our own office, with our own people, in anticipation that it was going to be a very exciting place, and Dubai turned out to be one of the most vibrant development projects in the world – and we got in at the right time. Over the years we have generated a great reputation there from our products and service.”

Mr Leith said growth of £1million to June 2014 is expected in the UK alone, with two new products also planned.

He added: “Our strategy is to provide outstanding service in our contracts. We have never compromised on quality or service.

“Yes, the margins are under pressure, so we are under pressure to reduce prices, but our strategy is not to reduce prices to the point that we are not able to deliver the quality and service we stand for.”

The company was further boosted last month with the appointment of John Taylor as finance director. He joined as financial controller five years ago.

Mr Leith said: “We have an excellent management team in place, able to help us grow significantly over the next three to five years and beyond.”

This year Geoff Adam became the longest-serving chairman in the family business’ 123-year history, with 45 years at the helm.

The council’s chief financial officer has said the local authority is facing increasingly “challenging” financial pressures.

David Robertson made the comment in the local authority’s annual unaudited statement of accounts.

Mr Robertson said: “It is hard to imagine a more challenging set of financial circumstances with the reduction in resources, welfare reform, increasing demands on services, low interest rates and other influencing factors all affecting the council’s finances.”

However, he added: “The council, despite these challenges, remains financially sound and well placed to serve the people of the Borders in 
future.”

The detailed financial report later states: “During the year, the council has again focused on maximising savings wherever possible and has delivered a significant programme of efficiency savings in order to balance the costs of service provision to available resources.

“This focus will continue in future years when the budget-setting process is expected to present a significant challenge.”

It adds: “There is a high degree of uncertainty about future levels of funding for local government.

“However, the council has determined that this uncertainty is not yet sufficient to provide an indication that the assets of the authority might be impaired as a result of a need to close facilities and reduce levels of service provision.”

Council departments made savings of £7.3million during the financial year 2012/13, and annual recurring savings of £1.45million are anticipated after 75 staff took early retirement or voluntary severance during the year. However, the actual cost of these exit packages came in at £1.88million.

In terms of senior staff remuneration, four council employees went home with more than £100,000 last year, with chief executive Tracey Logan receiving £117,455.

Glenn Rodger, director of education, Andrew Lowe, head of social work, and Rob Dickson, environment and infrastructure chief, also received six-figure sums.

The accounts also reveal that the council received £1.4million from the administrators of two Icelandic banks.

However, the council, which had a total of £10million invested in them when they went into administration in October 2008, has so far only recovered £6.3million.

It was a good weekend for Borders clubs in the East League.

Division One outfit St Boswells won away to struggling side Watsonians 2nds.

Gala continued their surge to the Division Two title with a comfortable victory against Clackmannan County, Josh Irvine starring with 117 to his name.

Tom Grindell also made a century for Kelso, as they defeated Boroughmuir by 143 runs in Division Three.

Boroughmuir 2nds were also defeated by a Borders side, this time to Selkirk in Division Five, with Darren Fenton seeing the visitors home with an unbeaten 65.

Hawick and Wilton took it right to the death away to Clackmannan County 2nds, with Allan Moffat’s 91 being enough to give the Teries victory.

wooler

At their weekly Primestock sale last Wednesday John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 1,640 lambs, 19 hoggs and young sheep and 160 ewes.

Larger numbers and the heat wave against the sheep trade resulting in all classes being a lot easier.

Leading prices per head:- Suff.x:- £83.50 Cresswell Farms, £82 Lilburn Estates, £80 Cresswell Farms and Wandon. Tex.x:- £82.50 Greystonnes, Warenford North, £82 Lilburn Estates, £81.50 Cresswell Farms, £81 Wandon, £80 Chesterhill, Greystonnes, Shotton, Cresswell Farms, Mordington and Great Ryle.

Leading prices per kilo:- Tex.x:- 190.2p Greystonnes, Warenford North, 190p Black Heddon, Springhill, Berwick and Bewick Folly, 189.5p Yetlington Lane, 188.1p Low Middleton, 187.5p Yetlington Lane, 186.9p Great Ryle and Greystonnes, 185.4p Village Farm, Seahouses, 184.2p Henlaw, 183.8p West Hall, Belford. Bel.x:- 185.7p Ladykirk, 184.2p Ladykirk.

Ewe numbers less, with a slight decrease in returns.

Leading prices:- Tex.x:- £97, £80 Wrangham East, £71 Mordington, £70 Bolton North Wing. Suff.x:- £91 Little Swinton. Suff.x:- £79 Middle Ord and Mayfield, £73 North Sharperton. Zwa:- £67 Marshall Meadows. GF:- £63, £59 Mayfield, £57 Shotton, Middle Ord. Chev:- £63 South Charlton. CHM:- £57 South Charlton.

Rams:- Tex.x:- £89 Wrangham East. Suff.x:- £71 Ladykirk.

ST BOSWELLS

On Monday John Swan Ltd sold 61 clean cattle, 57 OTM cattle, 1,450 new season lambs, 32 old season lambs and 663 ewes.

Bullocks (32) averaged 249p per kg and sold to 265p (+4 on week), heifers (26) averaged 242p per kg and sold to 260p (+3.0p on week) and young bulls (3) averaged 209p per kg and sold to 212p (n/c on week).

New season lambs averaged 179.2p per kg (-47.1p on week) and sold to £100, ewes averaged £57.38 and sold to £113 and £119 for tups. Heavy ewes £74.18, light ewes £27.48.

Principal prices per kg: Upper Nisbet 2.65 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, Bee Edge 2.64 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, Bee Edge 2.60 Robert L Wilson Butcher Ltd, Bee Edge 2.57 W Taylor (Lockerbie) Ltd, M/s Gilmour and Co Ltd, Longnewton 2.57 M/s R and G Moor, Lennoxlove 2.57 M/s R and G Moor, Upper Nisbet 2.56 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, Caverton Mill 2.56 M/s R and G Moor, Bee Edge 2.55 W Taylor (Lockerbie) Ltd, Bee Edge 2.54 M/s Gilmour and Co Ltd, Traprain 2.54 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, Upper Nisbet 2.54 M/s R and G Moor, Lurdenlaw 2.53 M/s J and A Waters and Sons (Butchers), Longnewton 2.53 Scotbeef Ltd.

Principal prices per head: Caverton Mill £1786.05, Longnewton £1669.80, Lennoxlove £1644.80, Lurdenlaw £1608.

Cows per head: Eden Lodge £1328.45; Bemersyde £1287, Huntington £1267, Bemersyde £1260.75, Burnhouse Mains £1162.80, Chillingham Home Farm £1149.50, Allanshaws £1140.30, Woodhouse £1135.05, Towford £1131.90, Northfield £1097.10, Marchcleugh Farm £1086.30, Chillingham Home Farm £1083.50, Kirklands £1062.60, Woodhouse £1058.50, Headshaw, Lauder £1058.20, The Shaws £1043.20.

Cows per kg: Chillingham Home Farm 2.09, Bemersyde 2.05, Chillingham Home Farm 1.97, Bemersyde 1.95, Allanshaws and Huntington 1.81, Wester Ulston 1.79, West Mains and Burnhouse Mains 1.71, The Shaws 1.69, 1.65, Huntington 1.63, The Shaws and Eden Lodge 1.63, Woodhouse and Kirklands 1.61.

Bulls: Broadmeadows £1409.80, Allansahws £1437.75.

Show and sale of Suffolk.x lambs kindly sponsored by the Suffolk Sheep Society and judged by Mr A MacMorran of Scotbeef Ltd. Champion pen (ex mule rwe) Torwoodlee Mains £100 purchased by M/s Martin Baird (Butchers) Ltd Melrose. Reserve champion pen (ex Cont.x ewe) Headshaw, Lauder, £88 purchased by M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons (Butchers) Peebles.

Lambs per head: Suff.x;- £100 Torwoodleee Mains, £91.50 Hyndsidehill. Tex.x;- £94 Legars, £93 Lower Ashtrees. Bel;- £94 Wester Deans. Chv;- £75.50 Gilston. CM;- £72.50 Brockhouse.

Lambs per kg: Suff.x;- 217.4p Torwoodlee Mains, 198.3p Broomiebank. Bel;- 204.4p Wester Deans, 198.5p Broomiebank. Tex.x;- 202.2p Lower Ashtrees, 193.5p Huntington. Ber;- 176.9p Springwood (Powell). CM;- 175p Gilston.

Cast ewes: Tex;- £113 Wantonwalls. Suff.x;- £95 Corsbie. Suff;- £89 Stoneypath. HB;- £85 Haltree. BFL;- £79 Burnhead. GF;- £73 Bankhouse. Chv.x;- £59 Wedderlie. Chv;- £57 The Dod, Lauder. BF;- £45 Torsonce Mains, Wedderlie and Applecross.

Rams: Chv;- £119 Lochside. Tex;- £115 Lochside. BF;- £59 Stoneypath.

longtown

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart PLC had forward 37 prime cattle, 12 young bulls, 18 over 30 month cattle, 3,098 prime lambs, 589 prime hoggs and 4,070 cast ewes and rams at their weekly sale at Longtown last Thursday.

Prime cattle short of requirements and continued to sell to late high rates. Top price to 261.5p (£1,869.73) for a British Blue bullock shown by J.C. and D. Nicholson and Son, The Gill, closely followed at 260.5p again for a British Blue this time from A. and W.J. Taylor and Son, Dashwellgreen. Limousin heifers sold to 239.5p, twice, both from J. and N. Blaylock and Son, Hallburn.

Principal prices per kilo: Bullocks - British Blue 261.5p The Gill, 260.5p Dashwellgreen. Limousin 256.5p Dashwellgreen, 251.5p The Gill, 250.5p, 249.5p (x2) Dashwellgreen, 248.5p The Gill, 247.5p, 246.5p Dashwellgreen, 244.5p High Stenries, 238.5p Dashwellgreen and Houghton House, 224.5p Newby Farm and Houghton House. Charolais 246.5p, 236.5p, 226.5p High Stenries, 225.5p Sceughdyke.

Heifers - Limousin 239.5p (x2), 235.5p Hallburn, 225.5p (x2) Sceughdyke, 222.5p Becton Hall. Charolais 229.5p Sceughdyke. British Blue 223.5p Beckhall.

Principal prices per head: Bullocks - British Blue £1,869 The Gill, £1,784 Dashellgreen. Limousin £1,794 Dashwellgreen, £1,685 The Gill, £1,678, £1,614 Dashwellgreen, £1,605 Houghton House. Charolais £1,614 High Stenries.

Heifers - Charolais £1,455, £1,342, £1,269 Sceughdyke. Limousin £1,236 Hallburn, £1,232 Sceughdyke, £1,221 Hallburn. Angus £1,221 Netherton.

Some smart bulls on offer saw trade on par with recent weeks. Top price of 244.5p for a Limousin shown by Mr J. Jardine, Yett and 242.5p from Messrs J. Retson and Son, Gardrum.

Principal prices per kilo: Limousin 244.5p Yett, 242.5p, 237.5p Gardrum, 235.5p Yett, 216.5p Shaw of Dryfe. Blonde d’Aquitaine 218.5p Yett Farm. British Blue 215.5p Gardrum. Simmental 209.5p Shaw of Dryfe. Black and White 181.5p Becton Hall.

Principal prices per head: Limousin £1,818 Morley Hill, £1,540 Yett, £1,491 Gardrum, £1,436 Yett, £1,377 Gardrum. Black and White £1,143, £1,114 Becton Hall.

More meat cows on offer and beef cows sold sharper to average 144p. Top price to 196.5p and 183.5p for Limousins from Mr J. Watret, Burnside.

Principal prices per kilo: Limousin 196.5p, 183.5p Burnside, 155.5p, 151.5p Netherton, 136.5p Swaites. British Blue 162.5p, 142.5p, 141.5p Nether Albie. Angus 153.5p, 148.5p Sorbie. Black and White 127.5p, 121.5p Peterscrook. Galloway 117.5p Barfil.

Principal prices per head: Limousin £1,444, £1,146 Burnside, £1,022, £1,010 Netherton. British Blue £1,080, £954, £849 Nether Albie. Black and White £1,073 Becton Hall. Angus £951, £950 Sorbie.

Another large show of 3,098 prime lambs were forward to the usual ring of buyers but no one very keen to buy lambs as supply this week has by far outstripped demand, causing the trade to take a dramatic downwards spiral nationwide since Tuesday, resulting in a very disappointing average of 175p, although this average was still better than many others seen through the country. Hopefully this collapse in trade will be short lived and the lamb price will level out at a sensible trade for everyone. Top price of 205p per kilo for Texels from A. Craig, Compstone End with a top per head of £93 for Beltex from J. McKay and Sons, Broughton Mains.

The 718 light weight lambs sold to a top of £65 for Texels from Middle Farm, £60 Windy Hill; Suffolk £64 Thomasdene, £58 Milnholm; Charollais £62.50 Ardlamy, £53 Porterstown; Leicester £58 Forget me Not; Greyface £57 Burnhouse, £55 North Deanhead; Hill Cheviot £56 High Chesters, £55 Supplebank; Herdwick £50 Butterdales.

Also weighed on a weigh and pay basis were 499 lightweight lambs between 26 and 36 kilos, which are now sought after weekly. Contact Archie for details.

A smaller show of 589 prime hoggs were forward and the sale average was 140p per kilo. As from next week hoggets will be sold amongst the ewes, although there will still be some demand for them. The sale was topped at £79.50 per head for Texels from Thorns and to 225p per kilo for Texels from Keldhead.

Another good show of 4,070 cast ewes and rams were forward to the usual ring of buyers with trade for all classes £4 to £5 back on the week due to Ramadam. Small ewes and rams of all classes continue to be easily sold, heavy fatter ewes harder to cash.

Three Borders babies will share their birthdays with the new Prince of Cambridge.

The trio of boys were born yesterday morning in Borders General Hospital, just hours before the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived at 4.24pm, weighing 8lb 6oz, at St Mary’s Hospital in London.

At the BGH, Kyson Mackie-Brown was the first to be delivered at 3.22am, weighing 8lb 3.5oz.

Next to arrive was Hamish Laing at 9.22am, weighing 7lb 4.5oz, closely followed by baby Jack Johnstone who was delivered at 9.40am at 5lb 8oz.

An NHS Borders spokeswoman said: “Mums and babies are all doing well, and are delighted to share their special day with the Royal arrival.”

Hawick’s Stuart Easton was hoping for better luck after his disastrous previous round of the British Supersport championship at Snetterton in Norfolk.

And he got it.

With two races on the 2.4 mile GP circuit at Brands Hatch in Kent over the weekend qualifying went well for Easton, celebrating his 30th birthday, who landed sixth place. With less than a second separating the top 13 riders this shows how competitive this championship is.

In race one, a 10 lap spirit race, Easton’s Mar Train Yamaha worked well and he was one of four riders who were wheel to wheel as the lead changed on several laps.

On the final lap the Hawick rider took the lead and held on for the win by 0.1 of a second from Championship leader Alistair Seeley.

The 16 lap race two was no different and even was even closer between Easton, Seeley and Graeme Gowland. With the lead again being swapped on several laps Seeley took the lead near the end of the last to win from Easton by 0.004 of a second or, in other words, by less than six inches.

Seeley now leads the championship by 40 points from Easton.

After the races a much happier Stuart was pleased that he could get back on the podium and was hoping for more success at the next round at Oulton Park in Cheshire in three weeks time.

The Borders is currently under a flood alert after a night of torrential rain, and thunder and lightning.

A spokesman for the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) said: “The initial band of heaviest rainfall should appear around early Tuesday evening, and then clear by midnight.

“There is likely to be further heavy rain during Wednesday that could also cause impacts.”

A flood alert is the lowest of three warnings, which urges homeowners that “flooding is possible. Be prepared.”

Despite the heavy rain, the fire service reported no weather-related incidents overnight in the Borders.

WHILE the hardy local hill runners were lining up in Victoria Park, at the St Ronan’s Games, ready to endure the rigours of Lee Pen, Moorfoot’s Scout Adkin was toeing the line in Llanberis.

The Peebles athlete joined around 600 others on what was her toughest challenge yet, the Snowdon International race over 16.1km with a climb of 1006m.

Although still very warm, Scout reported it to be not quite as hot as the previous day’s 30C. Undeterred by what lay ahead, the physiotherapy student headed her Scottish team-mates for most of the way up, only being overtaken by Jill Mykura as they approached the summit cairn where she turned fourth woman in 57.03.

Coach Gregor Nicholson said: “Scout’s descending has been improving in recent races but she knew this one was going to be brutal - over 8km of continuous fast descending on the stony tourist path, side-stepping the masses of slower runners still going up, then a very steep road section leading back into the town.”

One place lost, to the fast finishing Jackie Lee of Wales, but also one place gained by overtaking none other than experienced England and GB internationalist Pippa Maddams, saw Scout come down off the mountain in a faster section time than the Irish winner Sarah Mulligan for a fantastic fourth place finish in 1.28.33. With Mykura picking up a place on the descent for second, and Charlotte Morgan home in sixth, it was team gold for Scotland ahead of Ireland and the other home countries.

Nicholson added, “When Scout and I sat down to plan her 12-13 season back in September 2012, Snowdon was on the race list as a target just for participation and experience as she tackled her first full season out of the junior ranks.

“To then make the Scotland team for the race was a boost but to go on to finish fourth and be a crucial counting member of the winning Scotland team when she is still shy of her 20th birthday is way beyond what we could have hoped for.

“It’s testament to all the hard work and dedication which Scout has put in over the last year in making a hugely successful transition to the senior ranks.”