A CARE assistant who assaulted a 91-year-old woman suffering from severe dementia “after losing her head” was admonished after being of good behaviour during a nine-month period of deferred sentence.

Holly Gordon was sacked from her job at Galashiels Nursing Home in Kirkbrae when the attack was reported by a work colleague.

An earlier hearing was told how the frail pensioner let out a scream when the 27-year-old slapped her on the back, leaving a red hand print.

Gordon, of Kilncroft, Selkirk, pleaded guilty to assaulting the 91-year-old patient by striking her on the body with her hand at the nursing home on September 8.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond said he took into account she was a first offender, had lost her job and was unlikely to be employed in the care profession again.

He added: “For six years you were employed working in the care of the elderly and infirm in the community. There must be many occasions when that work has high demands and many stresses. High standards are called for in the care of those individuals. You have admitted a lapse of those high standards.”

Her lawyer, Ross Dow, said it was Gordon’s position that she had been nipped by the patient. He added: “It was a highly-charged situation and it was a momentarily single lapse. There is not a day gone by when she does not think about it.”

The home has been in business since 1988 and has 37 residents requiring long-term, short-term and respite care.

MONITOR farmers Ed and Kate Rowell are experiencing the both the benefits and the challenges of calving heifers at aged two on their Peeblesshire farm.

They run a suckler herd of around 70 breeding females on 1,800 acres at Hundleshope on the Haystoun, which is one of the latest additions to the network of Quality Meat Scotland monitor farms.

The Rowells’ replacement heifers are either home-bred or purchased beef cross dairy heifers that have been artificially inseminated or bulled, to calve at two years of age.

But the pair experienced difficulties getting some of the first calved heifers back in calf with their second calf. Of the total of 70 females which were bulled in 2012, pregnancy diagnosis revealed 12 not in calf – four were first calvers.

Senior beef specialist with the SAC Gavin Hill recommends aiming to calve heifers a month or two earlier than the main herd.

He said: “This gives them some extra time to recover, and will improve their chances of going back in calf, to calve with the main herd in following years.”

Mr Hill added: “Give replacement heifers no more than a couple of cycles to take the bull. You only want to bring naturally, highly fertile females into the herd, so don’t hesitate to cull any not in-calf after eight weeks of opportunity.”

He added: “It is worth keeping first and second calved heifers in a separate group, giving them a little bit of extra food.While they’re rearing their calves, they’re also still growing themselves, and it’s asking a lot of them to do all that and go back in calf.”

It’s been revealed that quad bikes, tools, oil and diesel topped thieves’ wishlists in a rural crime spree last year.

New research has shown incidents of ‘agri-crime’ in Scotland rose 12 per cent in 2012, costing farmers and rural businesses £2million.

Overall UK rural theft levels fell by 20 per cent last year, but Scotland bucked the trend over the same period.

The figures, based on claims data, have been released to coincide with the publication of the annual NFU Mutual Rural Crime Survey.

Unlike other crime reports, the insurers include claims for crimes against homes, farms, commercial premises and vehicles.

Quad bikes were the most targeted item in Scotland, while tools and fuel such as domestic heating oil and red diesel also proved popular with criminals.

Statistics from the survey also suggested the majority of rural crime is planned rather than opportunist.

Rory Murray, NFU Mutual agent in Newtown St Boswells, says that even though rural crime has fallen in the UK, Scotland’s figures show that the problem has not gone away.

“In fact, there have been more thefts in recent times. Much more still needs to be done to thwart rural criminals and minimise the devastating impact of crime in the countryside,” Mr Murray told The Southern this week. “As a mutual organisation owned by, and run for, our members we have a responsibility to work with those in the countryside to improve security and tackle crime.

“In the Borders area we’re starting to see the benefits from communities working hard with the police and wider industry.

“However, people shouldn’t become complacent; they need to make security a priority on their farms, businesses and homes.”

Driving the national reduction in rural crime was a significant fall in claim costs for tractor and quad bike thefts, which accounted for more than one third of all thefts by value.

In contrast, 2012 saw a slight increase in cost levels for livestock theft.

The stealing of garden furniture and ornaments, stone and chemicals has been identified as an emerging trend over the last 12 months and NFU Mutual believes some thefts in particular are likely to be repeated as the criminals return to plunder the replacements.

The results of the survey also indicate that prevention is better than cure, with branches believing high-tech security measures like CCTV and tracker devices, as well as more traditional measures such as locks, are more effective than a greater police presence or tougher sentencing for criminals.

Some of the more unusual measures used by NFU Mutual members include keeping geese to warn of trespassers and installing fog machines to disorientate intruders, and retractable cattle grids.

wooler

At their weekly Primestock Sale John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 1,486 lambs, 59 hoggs and young sheep and 313 ewes.

Lamb numbers larger, a large ring of buyers present resulting in trade again being dearer on the week to show another leading average countywide.

Leading prices per head:- Ven.x:- £90 South Lyham. Tex.x:- £86.50 Lilburn Estates, Shotton, Low Middleton, Linhope Farming (Roddam), Yetlington Lane and West Longridge, £86 Great Ryle, Cresswell Farms, The Hagg and Kimmerston, £85.50 West Longridge (3) and South Charlton, £85 Elwick and Lilburn Estates. Suff.x:- £85.50 East Fleetham and Great Ryle, £85 Great Ryle and Shotton, £84.50 The Newton and Linhope Farming (Roddam), £84 Branton Eastside (2). Bel.x:- £83.50 Yetlington Lane.

Leading prices per kilo:- Tex.x:- 226.4p Shipley Smallburn, 213.2p, 210.5p Bewick Folly, 209.2p Yetlington Lane, 207.5p Cockhall, 206.8p Shipley Smallburn, 205p Greenhead, Reston and Lilburn Estates, 204.9p Village Farm, Seahouses, 204.1p, 204p Lilburn Estates, 203.7p The Hagg, 202.4p Great Ryle, 201.3p Lilburn Estates (2), 201.2p Linhope Farming (Roddam). Bel.x:- 214.1p Yetlington Lane, 204.2p Ladykirk.

Larger number of ewes, due to spaining time. Leading prices:- Tex.x:- £93 Edlingham Newtown, £87 West Longridge, £85 Edlingham Newtown, £81 Edrom Mains and Cresswell Farms. Bel:- £89 The Loan. Suff.x:- £87 Middle Ord and Edrom Mains, £85 Lilburn Estates and West Longridge, £83 Bewick Folly and East Fleetham, £81 Lilburn Estates. Char.x:- £83 East Fleetham. Ven.x:- £81 North Lyham. BF:- £73 Lilburn Estates. Mule:- £71 Branton Eastside.

Rams:- BF:- £81 Lilburn Estates.

st boswells

At St Boswells on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 49 clean cattle, 90 OTM cattle, 2,330 new season lambs and 561 ewes.

Bullocks (29) averaged 239.8p per kg and sold to 262p (+1.3p on week), heifers (17) averaged 233.3p per kg and sold to 253p (n/c on week), three young bulls averaged 181.6p per kg and sold to 198p (n/c on week) and 90 beef type OTM cattle averaged 136.4p per kg and sold to 199p (-0.6p on the week).

SQQ new season lambs averaged 199p per kg (+16.6p on week) and sold to £105 and ewes averaged £58.20 and sold to £97 for ewes and tups. Heavy ewes £73.27, light ewes £40.77.

Principal prices per kg: Bee Edge 2.62 M/s Cropper, 2.57 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, 2.53 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.51 John Anderson Butchers, 2.49 M/s TA Shaw; East Loanend 2.58 M/s TA Shaw,; Caverton Mill 2.53 Linton Butchers, 2.51 G and L Archibald Ltd, 2.50 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons, 2.46 Ramsay Butchers; Lennoxlove 2.49 Denholm Meats, 2.44 M/s Cropper, 2.42 Scottish Borders Abattoir; Humbie Mill 2.45 M/s Cropper; Woodhead. A 2.42 Alex Smith.

Principal prices per head: Humbie Mill £1898.75; East Loanend £1702.80; Bee Edge £1656, £1611.30; Lurdenlaw £1654.30, £1616.60.

Cows per head: Birkenside £1402.80, £1373.10; Boon £1368, £1235.80; Lammerview £1346.40; Easter Middleton £1318.80, £1139.25, £1117.40; Wester Middleton £1270.50, £1086.30; Girrick £1219.10, £1096.

Cows per kg: Birkenside 1.99, 1.67; Lammerview 1.87; Mossilee 1.77, 1.57; Priesthaugh 1.77.

Lambs per head: Bel; £105 Sydenham, £94 Nether Howden Cott, Tex.x;- £104, £102.50 Crookston, £98 Saughland and Maidenhall, Suff.x;- £96 West Moneylaws, Char;- £85.50 Woodhouse. J, MB;- £84 Craiglea, Ham;- £84 Whitehouse. A, Beu;- £80 Craighouse, GF;- £80 Lylestane.

Lambs per kg: Bel;- 229.7, 227 Sydenham, Tex.x;- 226.3 Saughland, 220.9 Threeburnford, Suff.x;- 202.4 Kittyfield & Lylestane, MB;- 200 Craiglea, Char;- 198.8 Woodhouse. J, Ham;- 195.2 Marigold.

Cast ewes: Tex;- £95 Blackadder Mains, Suff.x;- £97 Haltree, Bel;- £93 Sydenham, HB;- £90 Haltree, BFL;- £89 Hamildean, Suff;- £85 Broomiebank, CM;- £77 Shoestanes and Blackhill, Chev;- £75 North Synton, GF;- £71 Crailing Nook, Lly;- £69 Whitriggs.

Rams: Lly;- £97 Ruchlaw Mains, Tex;- £91 Blackadder Mains.

border livestock

Last week Border Livestock Exchange sold 97 cattle including 31 cows, 2,803 lambs including 260 ewes and 30 heifers and calves.

Aberdeen Angus Cross Steers sold to 445p per kg to Well Hung and Tender. Continental cross steers and heifers sold to 405p per kg. Cull cows to 300p per kilo.

Lamb trade firmed as the week went on with lambs killing well with improved keep from the rain. Texel crosses to 425p per kilo and 89.25 per head. Suffolk and Continental crosses to 415p per kilo. Small hill Euro lambs sold to 400p per kg for Cheviot and Beulah crosses. More required to fill orders for these lightweight lambs.

Aberdeen Angus heifers with calves at foot sold to £2,100.

As the crowds dispersed from the town centre, Cornet Cameron McNeill and his Right Hand Man Gregor Ker shared a hug.

It was fitting that the two 23-year-olds were side by side in front of their fellow townsfolk.

The close friends have now achieved what they were destined to since they ran around Lauder Primary School playground as youngsters.

Both come from families steeped in the Common Riding tradition, and as a result it was no surprise the pair shared some tears as Cameron handed back the Burgh Standard.

Gregor said: “It was just amazing.

“We have both grown up together since we were five years old at school. It could not get any better than supporting your friend as he is Cornet.

“It was emotional because of that.”

Left Hand Man, and another friend, Iain Dick was next to congratulate Cameron and also struggled to contain his feelings as he stepped out of the Common Riding limelight after carrying the flag in its centenary year in 2011.

Iain told us: “It is a very emotional time. I am just so chuffed for my mate Cammie.

“I am delighted to have been involved this year. I have done my three Common Ridings now, but carrying the flag was the highlight.

“That is something that will live with me forever.”

Another to be stepping aside this year is secretary Elaine Brotherstone. After nine years in the role, she believes common ridings remain vital to Borders life.

Elaine said: “Everything in constantly changing and we have to make minor changes every year.

“The ceremonies essentially remain the same, but there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

“It is important that the common ridings are carried on for future generations.

“We need to promote it to the kids – everyone in the Borders has to.

“When you see it today, it shows that it really does mean something.”

In terms of the challenges, Elaine added: “There is great legislation now.

“There is an incredible amount of administration and that does make it hard to get people involved.”

As the invited dignitaries mingled inside the Town Hall, chairman Ian Fallas spoke of his pride that the festival remains as strong now as it ever has.

Ian said: “It is another Common Riding, so it was a fantastic day. We have people coming here from as far away as Sweden.

“It was a nice, dry morning and a good turnout of horses, an excellent Cornet leading the cavalcade – what more can you ask for?

“It bonds the whole town together and is a chance for us to celebrate riding our own lands.”

The best turned out rider cup was presented to eight-year-old Hamish Stenhouse, while Doug Redpath picked up the oldest rider award – the fourth time he has done so.

With Common Riding season drawing to a close, the strength of the bond between principals of each town was highlighted by Raymond Knox.

The 1974 Hawick Cornet stands waiting on his Lauder colleague from the same year, Robin Riddell, and 1969 Lauder Cornet Bill Anderson, returning into town from the Waterin’ Stane with a welcome home pint – as he does every year.

Raymond said: “I gave Robin a drink from my hip flask in 1974 on the Linhope Hill at the Mosspaul ride-out and we have remained friends ever since.

“We are now one big family.”

Cameron McNeill endured a sleepless Friday night and a Monday morning spent grafting in torrential rain – not exactly a memorable two days.

But sandwiched between them was a Saturday that more than made up for the tiredness and the drenching.

The 23-year-old landscape gardener became the 90th Lauder Cornet, a role he was destined for all his life, following on from father Crawford 29 years earlier.

That he kept his composure and his smile throughout Saturday morning in front of huge crowds and a cavalcade of 343 is testament to the man.

Reflecting on Monday, Cameron told The Southern: “I am back to reality today, working away in the rain. I am a bit down now, but it has been a fantastic week.

“To carry the flag was probably the highlight for me, in front of the huge crowds. Lauder is a really popular festival now and we get huge backing from other towns in the Borders.

“I didn’t really get much sleep the night before. I ended up getting up at 4.30am, but it was worth it.”

The sight of yellow and blue bunting is the traditional indication that Common Riding Day is upon Lauder, but the smell of bacon also wafted across the town as residents lined their stomachs on a blustery but dry morning.

It was 8am when Cameron emerged from the crowds to accept the Burgh Standard and the “very high responsibility” that goes with it, from chairman Ian Fallas.

And so, he led his mounted followers around the Royal Burgh’s common land, the largest of its kind in Scotland. Up over the golf course they went, Right Hand Man Gregor Ker (last year’s Cornet) and Left Hand Man Iain Dick (2011 Cornet) tucked just behind Cameron, before the climb up to the Waterin’ Stane, and Lauder’s most westerly point.

A total of 49 ex-Cornets gathered behind Cameron and joined him at the Stane for a rendition of Jeannie’s Black e’e and Bonnie Lauderdale – the latter fittingly sung ‘Mid the splendour and the beauty o’ the bonnie woods and glens’.

Then came the charge up to the Burgess Cairn before the winding road back into town to the War Memorial service conducted by Reverend John Riddell before Abigail Anderson presented Cornet McNeill a simple wreath that means so much.

And then, as the Town Hall clock ticked past midday, Cameron handed back the flag to hugs from Gregor and Iain as the trio shared tears.

Afterwards, Cameron paid tribute to both, as well as his Lass Helen Middlemiss, who was unable to ride due to a broken pelvis sustained at the Braw Lads’ Gathering in June. In a show of solidarity, Sally Middlemiss and Anneka Ker – the 2012 and 2011 Lasses’ respectively – chose to accompany Helen among the crowds.

Cameron added: “Gregor and Iain are both friends of mine and I have supported both of them when they were Cornets, as well as 2010 Cornet Fraser Middlemiss, who is another friend.

It was great to be able to rely on both of them and I hope another friend can become Cornet next year.

“What happened to Helen at Galashiels was a bit of a disaster, but she has shown great courage to come back and take part in all the Common Riding events.

“The other girls decided they would not ride as well, and were given the chance to get dressed up in their best dresses and hats and be chauffered around as they do in Hawick. I think they did well.”

Last but not least, Cameron praised his own horse Claude – “He was perfect. It doesn’t get better than riding round the Common Riding on your own horse as Cornet”.

Posture is the position you maintain while standing, sitting or lying down.

Good posture means your body position creates the minimum amount of strain on supporting muscles and ligaments during daily activities and weight bearing exercise. Maintaining good posture allows musculoskeletal balance; this helps to protect the joints and spine from excessive stress, and makes us look taller and slimmer. Many people have poor posture despite having a good diet and taking regular exercise, and this can create future health problems if left uncorrected.

Pilates is a technique that approaches the fitness of the body, working to improve strength, mobility and alignment. Instructor Amanda Richard focuses on the body’s “core strength”, which comes from muscles that lie from the pelvis to the ribcage and diaphragm. These muscles work to maintain posture and support the spinal column and pelvis.

Good Posture through Pilates:

l Reduces risk of back and neck pain

l Reduces risk of wearing of bones

l Reduces the risk of painful diseases like arthritis.

l Improves flexibility and co-ordination

l Reduces fatigue

l Aids concentration

l Improves appearance, self esteem , confidence

l Improves sleep

Osteopath Fred Carson says that good posture also removes stress from our internal organs, allowing blood, lymph and nerve supplies to flow more smoothly, improving many aspects of our general health. Our posture often reflects our internal condition, so good posture can also be a sign of a healthy body, mind and spirit.

An important part of osteopathic diagnosis and treatment is to examine a patient’s posture and evaluate how much this contributes to their symptoms. Poor posture can cause or aggravate a myriad of problems, such as headache, joint, neck and back pain, sciatica, general nerve pain, fatigue and stress. An osteopath particularly focuses on the muscles and joints of the spine. Then, using a combination of massage, gentle manipulation and stretching techniques, he or she helps to bring the function of these various tissues back to normal, improving posture and reducing pain and discomfort. In addition, exercises and postural advice are often given to help with ongoing, long term relief of symptoms.

Angela Herdman, Bowen therapist for nine years, explains: “Poor posture in our daily lives can lead to all sorts of problems, whether it is from compensating through injury or from general working environments. Bowen can help alleviate some of these by re-aligning and rebalancing the body by working on muscle, tendons, ligaments and some nerves, alleviating back pain, sciatica, knee/ankle problems, planter fasciitis, neck pain, frozen shoulder and fibromyalgia to name but a few. Often the problem that is presented is not actually where it originates from, but the body has formed a compensation pattern.”

Angela added: “Bowen is different from any other therapy in that it addresses every organ and system in the body and often one session can lead to exceptional results, even long standing problems may be resolved in three to four sessions making it great value for money.”

Whichever way you look at it, summer gardening is about getting the best from everything you`ve sown and planted. With vegetables and fruit it means harvesting at the optimum time. For flowers it’s about keeping the show going. In between there is much weeding, watering and worrying.

Several hanging baskets that looked so poor initially are now developing well and that is not entirely down to the weather. True, the increasing warmth and sunshine have played their part but don’t underestimate the impact of compost enriched with slow-release fertiliser, absorbent polymer granules and regular watering.

When baskets or free-standing containers face direct sunlight and temperatures of circa 26 Celsius as recently, they almost need watering on a daily basis.

Apart from regular moisture and supplementary feeding, many ornamental plants will produce more flowers if those fading are removed to prevent seed capsule formation. This is especially so of annuals whose very existence is based on completing the growth cycle within a year. It also works with perennials.

Roses are typical of this and at The Alnwick Garden where there are 3,000 covering several species, removing spent flower heads or dead-heading, is almost akin to painting the Forth Road Bridge.

The first and best flush of rose blooms generally coincides with the digging of early potatoes near the end of June, and by the second week in July some are beginning to fade. That`s when the gardening team plus volunteers step in to help prolong the flowering attraction. The activity often continues on a weekly basis until September.

Roses respond to the removal of spent flowering tips by developing more shoots which, given reasonable weather, will terminate in fresh blooms within two or three weeks. Many of the faded blooms will break away from the stem cleanly with a flick of the wrist when held firmly in the hand. But the purist will search for a promising leaf joint beneath a fading flower and use secateurs.

The majority of roses are subjected to this treatment but there are exceptions. Certain types develop attractive hips early in the summer and these stand out beautifully in their ripened autumn state - Rosa moyesii Geranium and the rugosa Frau Dagmar Hastrup are already displaying these large seed capsules. It would clearly be wasteful to remove their fading blooms and hip potential with a single flick of the wrist, but you can assist by gently teasing away dead petals and letting hips see the light of day.

Constant removal of spent blooms certainly helps keep summer bedding plants looking bright. It’s essential along with weekly feeding whether you’ve entered a best garden competition or simply want to extend the show into autumn.

Several herbaceous perennials are capable of providing an encore if you are bold enough to prune them to ground level once the main display has faded. Geraniums excel especially if you keep the new shoots well-watered and share a little bit of the liquid feed you give your tomatoes.

Gaps will inevitably appear in mixed borders once the early perennials have performed but you can be ready to plug those with colourful shrubs, liliums or bedding plants grown in pots for that purpose. Fuchsias such as the golden-leaved Genii or penstemons which are so long-flowering, do the trick for us when planted in groups, and they’re both so easily raised from stem cuttings. Where possible, dig a decent planting hole and plunge the pot below soil level, because this prevents constant drying out of the compost

Almost 30 holiday lodges near Selkirk would have an ‘alien suburban appearance’, a planning reporter has said in the dismissal of an appeal.

Last week, Gerry Farrington upheld the council’s refusal of the ‘in principle’ application for 28 lodges at Whitmuir Hall, ruling that the ‘unacceptable harm’ to the amenity and character of the area was reason enough for it to be refused.

Mr Farrington added in his decision notice that the scheme’s failure to accord to sustainable transport policies also weighed against granting permission.

A proposal to create new lodges on the site, close to the Whitmuirhall Loch Site of Special Scientific Interest, has been in the pipeline for more than 20 years, with outline approval granted for 25 chalets in 1990.

This was never followed up with a detailed application, and then in December last year the latest proposal was turned down by councillors, going against the advice of planning officers.

The applicant, Alan Williams, then lodged the appeal.

Despite dismissing that appeal last week, Mr Farrington noted various benefits of the scheme to the local area.

These included the creation of jobs for local people, the likely implementation of an approved extension to the leisure and communal facilities at Whitmuir Hall, which are accessible to the community, and improvements to the road.

But, Mr Farrington added: “I agree that, however well designed and landscaped, due to the size and density of the units and the tightness of the clusters, the development would have an alien suburban appearance and character in this rural setting.

“The rural ambience would be further eroded by the heavy traffic and verge damage along the minor road.”

He concluded: “The proposal would cause unacceptable harm to the amenity and character of the scenic landscape surrounding Whitmuir Hall Loch, which is sensitive to change and contributes significantly to the attractiveness of the area for tourism and public recreation.”

The council took the unusual step of lodging an application for costs in the appeal, claiming the appellant ‘acted in an entirely unreasonable way’.

It was claimed agents working on behalf of Mr Williams submitted fresh information to the appeal despite stating this had not been done and also changed quotes taken from emails between council staff.

A decision on whether the expenses application has been successful is still outstanding.

Borders pupils opened their exam results on Tuesday morning, showing what the council called a “positive” 91 per cent overall pass-rate.

The anxious wait for Border students ended when their Intermediate, Higher, Advanced Higher, and Standard Grade results arrived by mail, text and email. Pass-rates rose slightly in all four exams across Scotland, leading the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to call it “a time for celebration”, while record passes in the final year of the Standard Grades system prompted questions over just how rigorous the exams are.

But political tussles couldn’t diminish the joy of 22,770 Scottish teenagers accepted for a place at university or college in their own country – a 2 per cent increase from last year, according to admissions service UCAS. One local lad whose hard work paid off was Peebles High School’s Ollie Freeman, who got 5 Higher ‘A’ grades in Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry and History.

Cllr Sandy Aitchison, executive member for education, said: “I would like to congratulate pupils across the region for their achievements in their exams and across their coursework. At Higher level, the pass-rate across all nine secondary schools and subject areas varied between 72 and 84 per cent, maintaining a higher than average pass-rate.”

Glenn Rodger, director of education at Scottish Borders Council, added: “This is a great credit to both staff and students in Border schools.” Pupils with concerns about their results can visit www.scotborders.gov.uk/examresults for advice.

A record turnout of riders is anticipated at this year’s Coldstream Civic Week Flodden Day ride, which takes place today (Thursday).

In the 500th anniversary year of the Battle of Flodden the annual oration on Branxton Hill will be given by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP.

The rideout will no doubt be one of the highlights for the 2013 Coldstreamer, Grant Campbell, who was presented with the Burgh Standard and sash in Henderson Park on Sunday.

Tradition now has it that the 25th anniversary Coldstreamer is entrusted to carry out the sashing ceremony and present the Burgh Standard, and this year the job fell to silver jubilee Coldstreamer Malcolm Simpson.

He told Grant: “Twenty-five years ago I stood 
here and I was filled with pride and all sorts of emotion.”

He also admitted that he was “greetin’ like a wee bairn” by the time he led the cavalcade to the top of Branxton Hill.

“The best advice I can give you Grant is to take a few moments every day to reflect on what you have done because it goes by so quickly and on Saturday you will stand here and wonder where the week went,” Malcolm added.

Finally receiving the sash and burgh standard, Grant told the crowd: “Coldstream Civic Week is finally here and I can’t wait to start the best week in the Borders.”

After his thanks to the Ex-Coldstreamers for choosing him and his parents for their support, Grant finished by thanking the people of Coldstream for making it ‘nulli secundus’ - second to none, the motto of the Coldstream Guards.

A new book about Kelso aims to shed light on the town, incorporating verbal memories of long-time residents.

Kelso Memories has been compiled by two of the town’s citizens, Alastair Campbell and Derek Robeson.

For example, did you know that the first train arrived at Kelso Railway station in the summer of 1851 or that the first house in Scotland to have gas lighting was in Kelso?

Can you remember when the town’s swimming and diving pool was in the River Tweed at the Cobby?

Or remember when the Cobby was frozen so deep and for so long in 1963, that they could curl on it?

These are just some of the interesting facts and stories covered in the book’s 200 pages. The book was started several years ago by Alastair and by Derek’s late father Robin, as a follow-up to their highly successful book ‘Kelso – History in Focus’, which was published in 2001. It took them a number of years to gather the material for a second book but they knew it would be worth the wait.

Kelso Memories is a personal look at perhaps some of the lesser known facts, faces and former businesses in the town.

Alastair, who is already the author of several highly successful books on the Borders and Fife, said: “It has been a wonderful journey for us compiling this book on Kelso with its rich and varied history.

“Derek and I are sure that it will prove interesting to Kelso residents and visitors alike. We both learned such a lot of new things about the town and its residents.

“We are indebted to the townsfolk for the material and information they shared with us.”

This high-quality hardback book is packed full with over 500 images dating back over two centuries.

Copies are available from several outlets around town from August 17 and all proceeds go to Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity close to both families’ hearts.

In accepting a seat in the House of Lords, Jeremy Purvis knows he will be open to accusations of hypocrisy.

The former Tweeddale and Lauderdale MSP has seen his Liberal Democrat party campaign for a reduction in the size of the House and an introduction of elections for members, only for the bill to be abandoned last year.

It leaves the Lib-Dems in the awkward position of putting forward names in a system it thinks is flawed.

But Mr Purvis believes his appointment as a working peer - which will also see him advise Scottish Lib-Dem leader Willie Rennie – can benefit the Borders.

He said: “Nick Clegg asked me if I would consider it (peerage) as part of getting more engaged in politics again.

“I have to confess it was not something I had in any way thought about.

“When Nick spoke to me we had a discussion because he had an attempt to reform the Lords and that was blocked.

“But it is here and he said ‘As long as we have it, would you want to do it’. I want to make sure that I play a role.

“I am conscious I will not have a day-to-day involvement in the Scottish Parliament, but if I can be an ambassador or speak up for the Borders as a whole, then I will relish that.

“It will effectively be back to being in a front line political role so therefore it is an honour.”

Mr Purvis’ peerage has received a mixed response. While colleagues and members of the Borders festivals and common ridings poked fun at his new role by calling him ‘Lord’ at Lauder Common Riding on Saturday, abuse has also been directed his way via social media.

But the 39-year-old admits he has missed the political life which ended for him in 2011 with defeat to Christine Grahame for the newly created Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale seat.

The Galashiels resident added: “I didn’t miss the day-to-day nastiness.

“Part of the reaction to the announcement was reading that (nastiness) again on Twitter from people who do not have the guts to say that stuff to your face.

“It has been frustrating when I still have views, but what I said at the count in 2011 was that I chose not to be on the list. I wanted to be a constituency MSP.

“I said I would not be making comments from the sidelines and I have kept that promise.”

In the two years he has been away, Mr Purvis says he has noticed more centralisation in Scotland, a concern he has for the future.

He told The Southern: “I fear we could lose more from this area.”

Borderer Alison Suttie is being elevated to the peerage in the latest round of appointments to the House of Lords.

Born and brought up in Hawick, Ms Suttie worked at the European Parliament, ran the Lib Dems’ general election campaign in 2010 and then spent time as Nick Clegg’s deputy chief of staff when the Lib Dem leader was first deputy prime minister.

Ms Suttie is one of 30 new life peers announced by Prime Minister David Cameron, with 14 coming from within the ranks of his own Tory party, together with 10 Lib Dems and five from the Labour Party.

Ms Suttie is the daughter of late Hawick GP, Dr Alastair Suttie, and his wife, Gillian, who still lives in the town.

She currently works as a consultant training civil servants and engaging in democracy building work in Tunisia and Moldova.

“I’ve not quite not quite taken it in yet,” Ms Suttie, who was educated in Hawick and at Heriot-Watt University, told The Southern this week.

“I won’t start as a peer until about October and the swearing in ceremony. There’s now, I think, 99 Lib Dem peers and I very much intend to be a working peer, hopefully focusing on the areas of international development and human rights, as well as the issue of homelessness, which is a personal interest of mine.”

Ms Suttie says it has still not definitely been decided what her new title will be: “But I think it will simply be just plain Baroness Suttie.”

She still considers Hawick to be home and told us her mother was thrilled with the news of her daughter’s appointment.

“I am back in Hawick quite a lot to see my mum and she is delighted, although it’s perhaps not what she was expecting.

“I will be committed to being a full-time working peer when the house is sitting. When it’s not sitting I will still be involved in training and teaching.”

One of 10 new Lib Dem peers, Ms Suttie will join a total of 30 new members of the House of Lords, with the others including businessman and Conservative donor Sir Anthony Bamford, former police officer Brian Paddick and the Green Party’s Jenny Jones.

There are currently 755 active peers, with nominations for peerages put forward by each of the party leaders and vetted by the House of Lords.

A former secretary of Hearts FC is taking the Borders Railway Project to a tribunal over a disputed compensation claim.

Leslie Porteous, who owned the former Porter’s bar in the Midlothian village of Gorebridge, is bringing the case against Scottish Borders Council to the Lands Tribunal for Scotland.

His former premises was bought under a Compulsory Purchase Order, with the new rail line to run right beside the building.

But Mr Porteous, who was at Tynecastle in the 1990s during the reign of Wallace Mercer, has taken the matter to the civil court under the Disputed Compensation Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1963.

SBC expects Network Rail to take over the case at the procedural hearing on Monday, August 19 in Edinburgh before a three-day hearing, starting on October 28.

A spokesman said: “SBC is named in this case at the Lands Tribunal on the basis that the matter was raised prior to the transfer of project land and powers under the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Act 2006 over to Network Rail in November 2012.

“Since November, Network Rail has now assumed full responsibility for dealing with all residual land related matters of which this Lands Tribunal case is one.”

A NR spokesman added: “The Porter’s building is the old station house and is unusable at present due to its proximity to the railway works, but after the project is completed it could come back into use.”

Research conducted at Langholm Moor by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust claims hen harriers and grouse can be managed alongside each other in moorlands.

Harriers are seen as a predator of grouse and as a result have been illegally targeted to protect stocks of the valuable game bird.

Plans for 25 homes in the village of Broughton were rejected on Monday, on the basis that half the site lies outwith the settlement boundary.

Despite the rejection of the scheme, the developer, Emma Lambe, will be told that an application for the northern part of the site, within the settlement boundary, ‘may be given favourable consideration’.

While all the members of the council’s planning committee were opposed to the plan, it took the acting chairman’s casting vote to confirm that as the only reason for refusal.

Councillor Stuart Bell had proposed that an additional reason for refusal be added, relating to flood risk.

He told the meeting that he had walked his dog around the outside of the site and stated: “The whole thing is what I’d call a bog – it’s covered in reeds and rushes.

“The vulnerability to flooding on the more southerly part of the site is a reason for refusing planning permission.”

However, Councillor Michelle Ballantyne pointed out that the whole site had been identified in a 1996 local plan as being within the boundary, only for a planning reporter to rule that only half could be listed as such in 2011 Borders-wide plan.

Councillor Vicky Davidson added that she did not see the flooding issues as ‘insurmountable’.

The council’s flooding officer and Scottish Environment Protection Agency had raised concerns relating to the development, but suggested appropriate conditions that could provide mitigation.

Councillor Simon Mountford added: “I don’t think we are competent to overturn the report of our flooding officer.”

A vote on a motion by Councillor Davidson for the scheme to be refused in line with the officer’s recommendation, with just one reason for refusal, received five votes, as did that of Councillor Bell.

However, Councillor Jim Brown, whilst conceding that there were some flooding concerns, gave his casting vote to the former motion.

He was in the chair due to Councillor Ron Smith’s resignation from the committee after breaching a code of conduct in relation to a planning application.

Planning consent for 36 homes on the whole site, granted in 1962, remains active, but work has not been able to be started as access to the site was via a new bridge from Smithy Croft, which hit legal difficulties.

Drunken Ian McIntosh chased three men with a hammer after celebrating his wife’s birthday.

He was arrested and appeared from the cells at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday when he admitted assault, possessing an offensive weapon and brandishing a hammer.

The first offender was fined £365, but faces losing his job as a maintenance worker at the Drygrange care home.

McIntosh, 51, was allowed by two men to share a taxi taking them home to Newtown St Boswells from Galashiels in the early hours of Sunday.

But after he paid £10 and was dropped off at his home at Hareshaw Bank at Tweedbank, he turned aggressive and punched one of the passengers in the face. He then took a hammer from his garage and chased the taxi driver and his two passengers as they fled.

McIntosh was still brandishing the hammer when police arrived. Lawyer Mat Patrick said his client didn’t usually drink, but had been celebrating his wife’s birthday and could remember little about the incident. The convictions come under disclosure regulations and Mr Patrick said McIntosh could lose his care home job.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond said his actions were inexplicable given his unblemished record and attributed it to alcohol excess.

Lauder Common Riding has defended its fancy dress parade after complaints over a Jimmy Savile prank.

Members of the Twenty10 Club took part under the name Jim’ll Fix It and dressed as the disgraced TV presenter as well as schoolgirls during last Wednesday’s contest.

The float won third prize in its section, but sparked a debate on the Common Riding’s Facebook page over free speech.

One complainer, Gregory Kynoch, wrote: “... in light of the events surrounding that program and the revelations since it I feel that was a step WAY over the line.”

And Margaret Ryles wrote: “I feel there was no respect for those who were abused by this very sick sick man.”

But Elaine Brotherstone, secretary of Lauder Common Riding, said it had no plans to vet entrants next year.

She told The Southern: “We have never censored anyone at the fancy dress and do not intend to. There was no offence intended and they were not trivialising what happened.

“It is about freedom of speech. People have the right to complain but don’t have the right to tell us what to do.”

Her views were supported by others who said fancy dress parades could be lost over fears of offending onlookers.

The Twenty10 Club was set up to encourage young men in Lauderdale to get involved in the Common Riding.

Farne Salmon will create 32 jobs as a result of a new £1.2 million production facility at its Duns factory.

The new facility at the Berwickshire base, which was opened by Michael Moore MP and employs 600 people, will put together products for Tesco.