Sunday afternoon in Peebles saw a new King and Queen of the Hill crowned at the Whyte and Alpine Bikes Scottish Open Enduro event in the Tweed Valley.

After a four-stage race in the forests of Cademuir and Glentress, Roslynn Newman and Chris Ball were crowned as Scottish mountain biking’s new royalty, winning the right to be first to wear the newly-created Scottish Open champions’ jerseys.

More than 500 riders descended on Peebles to ride the TweedLove festival enduro race.

Last year, the titles were won by local legends Gary Forrest and Emma Guy, both of whom were unavailable to race this time round.

However, the Tweed Valley produced new winners for 2014, with locally-based riders winning four of the five male race categories, including Peebles Cycling Club’s Thom Mitchell and local trailbuilder Pete Laing.

The area is now confirmed as the centre of mountain bike riding for Scotland, with an impressive depth of talent across all the age groups.

Ball, who heads the global growth of enduro as managing director of the hugely-successful Enduro World Series, proved he’s not swapped his riding skills for admin duties, with a totally-assured ride against some of the country’s best talent.

TweedLove director Neil Dalgleish said: “It was another great day of mountain bike racing in the valley – the sun came out, and there were some amazing performances.

“It was interesting to see how some of the more experienced riders kept a cool head throughout the stages and laid down a solid, fast ride, helped as wet stages dried out as the day progressed. If starting later was a strategy, it really worked.”

Results – Women 40+: 1, Julie Fewster; 2, Julie Nimmo; 3, Jac Marquis.

Women: 1, Roz Newman; 2, Gill Davies; 3, Nicola Fell.

Juniors: 1, Pete Lloyd; 2, Ruidrhi Forrester; 3, Angus Cunningham.

Masters 30: 1, Chris Ball; 2, Keith Buchan; 3, Chris Buchan.

Male 50+: 1, Pete Laing; 2, Stephen Stanway; 3, Derek Laughland.

Male 40+: 1, Crawford Carrick Anderson; 2, Ian Nimmo; 3, Andrew Mee.

Seniors: 1, Thom Mitchell; 2, Scott Laughland; 3, Eion Elliot.

A Hawick man accused of assaulting a nurse at Borders General Hospital will stand trial next year.

Scott Niblo’s trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Tuesday was postponed after the Crown requested an adjournment to consider the content of an expert’s report supporting the 20-year-old’s special defence.

Niblo, of Brougham Place, has pleaded not guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at the hospital on August 25 last year, running around, threatening others with violence, and struggling with staff and police.

He also denies assaulting a staff nurse by pushing him, whereby he fell against a wall, and assaulting an employee by pushing him on the body.

A new trial date of January 20 has been fixed with an intermediate hearing on December 15.

Gala 57

Jed-Forest 0

Gala cemented their place at the top of the Booker Border League on Saturday with a fairly simple victory over Jed-Forest, who had five development players in their line-up.

It was a fairly cagey start as the wet ball was not conducive to passing rugby, but it didn’t stop either team from trying.

The Maroons eventually got on the scoreboard moving in the 18th minute – an 8m line-out catch and drive giving Luke Pettie the touchdown, converted by Ewan Scott.

Six minutes later and George Graham took a quick ball from a scrum for the second try, after Gregor Law was yellow-carded for not retreating. The third came in the 35th minute, a good break by Euan Dods finished off by Stephen Cairns. The conversions for both these scores were missed, leaving a 17-0 half-time score.

After the break, Gala piled forward, but were held up. The ensuing scrum saw them drive to the line for Dods to score.

Sheer scrummaging power got them a penalty try soon after. Craig Dods converted this and Euan Dods’ second score in the 58th minute.

Further tries came from Josh Irvine, David O’Hagan and Craig Dods, with the latter converting all three.

It could have been more, but in Jed’s defence, they never stopped battling.

And there were several promising performances from the Royal Blues’ new signings, notably No.8 Methwew Meek and ex-Selkirk centre Fraser Harkness.

One worry for the Riverside men – other than the score – was the early loss of Michael Weekley who took a hard hit and had to leave the field due to a feared concussion.

Melrose 28

Heriot’s 36

Melrose begin the defence of their Premiership title on Saturday, knowing that they need to sort out a few issues after losing to cup winners Heriot’s at The Greenyards in last weekend’s BT Scottish Rugby Charity Shield.

In an entertaining, but nevertheless full-on match, the Goldenacre men ended up on the better end of a 5-4 try count after Melrose struggled to come come to terms with injuries to prop Nick Beavon and flanker Neil Irvine-Hess.

“Nick fractured a finger in the opening minutes and Neil broke his nose,” said Melrose coach, John Dalziel. “We kind of lost our shape a bit with the changes we had to make.

“We’ve had bad luck with three fractures in two games.”

He added: “The positives were that we found out a lot about a number of players. We changed things around in the last half hour – we wanted a look at Austin Lockington at 10.

“I thought Andrew Nagle did really well as an experiment in the 12 position, while Ruraidh Knott at seven was outstanding. But credit to Heriot’s. They slowed our ball and they were pretty dynamic when they came at us and scored some good tries.

“The worrying thing for us was how easily we conceded scores. Overall, it was an excellent workout for this time of year and probably brings us back down to earth a bit.

“It was a Charity Shield match today, but the league’s the one to win. And that starts next Saturday.”

Elsewhere in the Melrose side, new signing Tito Muo, on the right wing, had a good debut game, despite the latent effects of jet-lag after his long flight from Australia at the beginning of the week.

Scrum halves Tom Wilson and Murdo McAndrew were astute in their reading of the game and winger Rory Tolland again impressed with his strong running. Still to appear for Melrose are winger Callum Anderson and former Gala prop Ewan McQuillan.

In a match where the lead changed several times, Melrose trailed 17-14 at the break, having scored excellent tries by Lockington and Nagle, both converted by Richard Mill.

Heriot’s points came from a Graham Wilson penalty and the scrum half’s conversions of a Jack Turley try and a penalty try.

In a dynamic start to the second half, Knott touched down twice and Mill added the extras to put his side into a 28-17 lead. But the advantage was soon eroded as Heriot’s hit back with tries from prop Struan Cessford and lock Russell Nimmo, and a conversion from Wilson to retake the lead, before victory was assured in the final minute with a late effort from replacement back Rory Carmichael and a touchline goal from Wilson.

Hawick Wanderers won the Langholm Colts Sevens at Milntown last Saturday, defeating Melrose Wasps 35-5 in the final, writes John Smith.

The speedy Darcy Graham dashed in for four tries for the Wanderers and Grant Huggin added a try and all five conversions.

Melrose grabbed a late consolation try.

The tournament was played in two pools and both teams were outstanding, winning all their matches to advance to the final.

The Jim Telford memorial cup was presented by his daughter Linsey Cook to Hawick Wanderers captain Grant Huggin.

Young Langholm referee Ross Mabon was in charge of the final.

Hawick Wanderers: M Mallin, D Redpath, R McLean, G Huggin, K Brunton, S Chapman, D Graham, F Renwick, R Hartdegen, D Lightfoot. Melrose Wasps: R Campbell, C Love, C Howard, R Chalmers, E Runciman, T Klein, J Montgomery, C McDonald, R Sharp, W Connington.

A drunken woman who caused a disturbance at Borders General Hospital was this week jailed for a total of seven months.

Just a few weeks following the hospital incident, she brandished a knife at paramedics who turned up at her home and tried to help her while she lay drunk.

On Monday, Zoe Forsyth, 23, pleaded guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court, pictured, to struggling with police, lying on the floor, shouting and swearing, and refusing to leave the BGH accident and emergency department on February 26. She also admitted dialling 999 after drinking too much and when paramedics turned up at the house in Selkirk’s Buccleuch Road during the early hours of March 26, they found her surrounded by empty wine bottles.

The court heard when Forsyth was woken up she turned aggressive and waved the knife at the paramedics who retreated from the property and police were called.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said the course of conduct Forsyth was involved in meant a custodial sentence was inevitable.

Edinburgh Rugby 10

Leicester Tigers 11

Greenyards rugby fans enjoyed a thrilling friendly as Edinburgh almost grabbed a win over top side Leicester, only to see it snatched away at the last kick of the game.

Tigers opened the scoring through Logovi’i Mulipola. The conversion by Fred Burns was missed, but he stroked over a later penalty.

The Scots missed out on a penalty chance, however, Edinburgh flanker Roddy Grant, formerly of Gala, touched down after his pack put in a huge push from a line-out, Tonks converting to make it 7-8 at half-time.

In a second half that was physically demanding on both sides, replacement stand-off Tom Heathcoate’s penalty looked like it had given Edinburgh the win.

But David Mele’s penalty, deep into injury time, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Broughton’s Richard Eland may not have had a sparkling season – but he certainly kept his best till last.

His only win on the local games circuit had been at Tweedbank at the start of the season, which qualified him for the Borders Sport and Leisure Trust and Borders Athletics Classic showdown at the same venue on Saturday.

Running off 15m in his heat, he managed to hold off Kelso’s Matthew Fleming (11m) to record the fastest winning time of the three heats, placing him as favourite in the final, in which he was also up against Fleming, Wallace McGown of Sauchie (13m), Jasmin Tomlinson of TLJT (14.5m), Selkirk’s Geoff Keen (8m) and Peebles’ Amy Clancy (14.5m).

But Eland stubbornly refused to let anyone pass him and posted a winning time of 10.75 seconds, earning him the £500 top prize.

Eland, who said his father and coach Gordon got him back to fitness three years ago after he almost quit the sport for good, told The Southern: “After my first win here, I have ran poorly all season, apart from a sprint win at Ambleside sports.

“I felt good after that one and went to Morebattle and I really didn’t do well there at all.

“But I felt good coming up to today, and ran well in my heat, so I fancied my chances for the final.”

In the youths’ 100m event, the crowd’s sympathy was definitely with nine-year-old Liam Bouglas.

The smallest finalist by some distance, speed machine Liam had made such a good start, he was so far up the track he didn’t even hear the second gun denoting a false start elsewhere.

Spectators were trying to catch his attention, but he was so focused he got to within 10m of the finish before he realised.

Distraught was not the word. Organisers allowed the adults’ race to take place first to give him a chance to recover, but when it was run, Jed AC’s Cameron Fisher (11.5m) pipped him at the post.

To be fair, Cameron had posted the fastest time in the heats at 10.99 seconds and recorded a 10.96 finish for the final, so he definitely deserved his victory, but the sympathy went to the tiny Teri.

Cameron, who is coached by Chico Woods, told us: “I’m thrilled to win. I had hoped to do well after having the fastest time in the heats, but it was close.

“I felt sorry for Liam, though, as he almost had to run it twice.”

The 800m Classic final was won in style by delighted Langholm athlete Ryan Milligan, who found himself boxed in on the last bend, but had enough gas to overtake Jed’s Andrew Thompson and Pitreavie’s Michael Burns to take victory.

Teviotdale’s Fraser Clyne (115m) was the happy winner of the Youths’ 800m Classic, taking over long-time leader Olivia Rodden of Jed AC (200m) with 150m to go.

There were a host of open races held as well, with Hawick’s Ellis McKean and Annan’s Liam Woodman winning their respective youth finals.

The adult 100m final was won by TLJT’s seasoned campaigner Tommy Finkle.

The 50-year-old enjoyed his win on his home track and said: “I would rather it had been in the classic, but that’s racing.

“I’ve been travelling for work all week, so I’ve had no training, so it’s nice to get the win.”

See the panel on the right for more results.

Emily McGowan of co-organiser BSLT was there to present the prizes, and was impressed by the standard of the athletes on the day.

She said: “The popularity of athletics is going from strength to strength and it was great to see so many people at this event really enjoying their sport.

“We have some amazingly-talented athletes in the Borders and they are doing a great job inspiring people of all ages to get involved.”

Visit www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk to watch video of the sprint finishes.

A Jedburgh restaurant has teamed up with NFU Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland and the National Sheep Association to promote Scottish lamb.

The three-month long ‘Wham Bam Thank You Lamb’ campaign is aimed at encouraging consumers to understand the versatility, simplicity and speed of cooking with lamb.

Supporting the campaign is Ross Horrocks, the owner and chef of The Caddy Mann Restaurant at Mounthooly, between Jedburgh and Crailing

Ross has devised some imaginative dishes using a variety of different cuts of lamb and is running a ‘Love Lamb’ menu until September 6.

He said: “My aim is to show people that Scottish lamb can be both easy, economical and very versatile.

“The Scots eat much less lamb per capita than anywhere else in the UK so we are encouraging them to make Scotch Lamb a regular purchase by tempting them with different dishes that can easily be cooked at home.”

Some of the dishes on his menu will include pulled lamb flank in plum and ginger sauce with spring onion, cucumber and fried Chinese pancakes, lamb heart shepherds pie, and sticky shoulder ribs with honey and mint glaze - and that is just for starters.

Moroccan spiced lamb neck fillet tagine and slow baked rolled shoulder with crab apple and mint gravy, will feature as main courses.

All of the food on the menu is sourced locally and Ross is well known in the area for dealing direct with local farms, butchers and game estates.

The campaign will feature billboard, press and radio advertising as well as online and in-store activity.

Suzie Carlaw, marketing controller at Quality Meat Scotland, said the vision is for Scots of all ages having Scotch lamb in their “every-day meal repertoire”.

Sybil McPherson, chair of the National Sheep Association Scotland, said: “The NSA are proud to part of this opportunity to promote Scotch lamb and to emphasise the importance to the environment and the rural economy of the production of sheep in the hills.”

Gala lost out to Melrose in the Border Under-14 Cup final, despite a late rally.

Finlay Rutherford top-scored for the home side, retiring on 30, but the Melrose bowling meant Gala struggled to 71 for 4 from their 20 overs. In reply, Melrose were doing well and got the score to within two runs of their target when they suffered a mini-collapse, but Gaddie held his nerve to hit the winning runs in the 17th over to see Melrose home.

Gala secured an unprecedented third straight President’s Trophy title with a dominant display against Morton at Penicuik’s Kirkhill ground.

The Braw Lads reduced Morton to 17 for 6 and while the Edinburgh side went on to make 75, stand-in captain Josh Irvine led Gala to a nine-wicket win.

The victory was in complete contrast to the two previous Trophy triumphs, which were won in nail-biting fashion.

Morton, who were promoted from Division Three this season, won the toss and decided to bat against a Gala side who had defeated Fauldhouse, Westquarter and Redding and Carlton 2nds on the way to the final.

Usually prolific with the bat, Morton were 3 for 3 after Kris Mein proved too quick and clean-bowled Aravinda and Vinnaigna, and Scott Paterson had Sahil edging behind to Kevin Gallagher.

Mein and Scott Paterson continued to peg back Morton and at 17 for 6 it appeared the game was heading for an extremely early finish.

But Nathan and Bala stuck in gamely to get their team up to 44 before Nathan (11) and Arun (0) fell to leave Morton 47 for 8.

Bala continued to occupy the crease, but when David Boland took a sharp catch to dismiss the batsman for 29, Morton’s innings came to a conclusion. Mein (3 for 17), Scott Paterson (3 for 21), Robbie Pringle (3 for 12) and Dean Moir (1 for 22) all bowled superbly to restrict Morton to their modest total.

In reply, Boland was given out lbw for a duck with the score on four, but Jack Halls and Josh Irvine combined to patiently take the game away from Morton and guide Gala to victory in the 22nd over. Josh Irvine made a fine 44 not out, including five fours and a six, while Halls finished on 16.

A young Hawick side travelled to Campbell Park on Saturday to take on promoted Edinburgh CC, with rain in the air.

Skipper Phil Mactaggart won the toss and chose to bat, and lost opener Ronan Alexander early on.

However, Stuart Hair and Allan Moffat got the Teries off to a flyer, making use of the short boundary, with Hair striking two maximums on his way to 28.

Pierce Solley joined Moffat, and punished any short delivery before being bowled for 22.

Bruce Mactaggart continued from where Solley left off, striking the ball cleanly and consolidating the Teries’ good start. However, he was bowled by Majeed, who bowled an excellent quicker ball which deceived most of the Hawick batsmen.

Moffat reached his half-century, his third of the East of Scotland campaign, and Mactaggart played an excellent unbeaten 41 as the youngsters around them tried to steer Hawick to the 200 mark, but fell just short on 194.

In reply, the hosts got off to the worst possible start, with Hawick bowlers Ryan Johnston and Hair finding early breakthroughs. Andrew Johnston and Alexander backed them up, with Bruce Mactaggart taking an excellent high catch off the bowling of Johnston. Alexander picked up two wickets in his spell, including a great catch on the boundary by Solley.

However, a partnership by Majeed and Imran, when the hosts were seven wickets down, looked to take the game in their favour.

The Teries never gave up and Solley found the breakthrough twice late on. But it was not enough as the city men got over the line with one wicket to spare in a very entertaining finish to round off what has been a great season for a very young Hawick side.

Langholm had two chances to safeguard their place in Division One of the Eden Valley League at the weekend – and did so second time round.

They were beaten by 67 runs by visitors Longtown on Saturday. Longtown, batting first on the artificial wicket, ended their 40 overs on 157 for 9, with Langholm’s Jack Pool snatching four wickets for 35 runs, Andrew Paisley 2 for 25, skipper Duncan Elliott 2 for 29 and Steven Johnstone 1 for 33.

In reply, the hosts were all out for only 90, with skipper Duncan Elliott top scorer on 25.

However, the table was turned on Sunday with a 27-run victory at Carlisle Academy – but it wasn’t easy.

Academy won the toss and put Langholm in on a firm but used track. A flurry of wickets left them on 34 for 4. This brought Colin Turk out to play his first match for around three years.

Wickets continued to fall, but Turk had managed a majestic 26 which helped them to an unconvincing 89 all out.

However, it was something to bowl at, and this they did, Johnstone and Graham Park punishing the city side, dismissing their opponents between them for a miserly 62.

Johnstone had career-best figures of 6 for 10 and Park 4 for 12.

The heavens opened during Selkirk’s final league match against Holy Cross on Saturday, forcing abandonment, but as RHC’s match was cancelled, the Souters were crowned league champions, writes Alex Massie.

And their third consecutive promotion means they will play in Division Three of the East of Scotland league next season. Play was stopped after just 11 overs had been bowled.

By that stage, Selkirk were in the ascendancy, having reduced the home side to 30 for 3, the wickets falling to Jordan Reid (2) and Greg Fenton.

It’s been a fantastic team effort over the entire season. Six players scored more than 100 runs and three – John Everitt, Rory Banks and Greg Fenton – made more than 250 runs.

Five bowlers took more than 15 wickets and Kenny Paterson, with 22 scalps, finished as leading wicket-taker.

If the Souters enjoyed some good fortune – the four matches that could have gone either way were all won – it might also be said that when their nerve was tested it held.

Only once did the batting fail completely and an early-season defeat against RHC was avenged when Selkirk visited the capital.

The team has played good cricket in a good spirit, and this collective ethos served Selkirk well this season. Stiffer tests lie ahead, but on the evidence of this year – and if some of the younger players continue to improve – there’s every reason to suppose the Souters can give a good account of themselves in Division Three next year.

wooler

At their weekly sale of primestock last Wednesday John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 1,306 lambs and 297 ewes and rams.

Lamb trade easier on the week in keeping with the national trend.

Lambs, leading prices per head:- Tex.x:- £75.50 (2) South Bellshill, £74, £73 Cresswell Farms, £73 (2) South Bellshill and Yetlington Lane, £72.50 Springhill, Berwick, Wandon and Lilburn Estates, £72 Springhill, Berwick, Cresswell Farms, Wandon, West Rennington and Cockhall. Suff.x:- £72 Springhill, Berwick and South Bellshill, £71.50 Auchencrow Mains and Shipley Lane, £71 Alnham, Lilburn Estates and Treaty Park. Bel:- £73 (2) Yetlington Lane, £72.50 (2) Ladykirk, £72 Henlaw and Yetlington Lane.

Lambs, leading prices per kilo:- Bel.x:- 187.2p Henlaw, 185.9p Ladykirk, 184.6p, 178.1p Henlaw, 177.6p Ladykirk, 176.3p Henlaw. Tex.x:- 178.2p Black Heddon, 177.8p West Rennington, 171.3p Todrig, 171.1p West Rennington, 170.5p Black Heddon. Suff.x:- 164.1p Hillcrest Livestock, 162.8p Lilburn Estates, 162.5p Shipley Lane, 162.2p Brockley Hall. Ven:- 163.4p Craigshouse, 161.3p North Lyham.

Ewes still a decent trade for this time of year.

Leading prices:- Tex.x:- £101, £93 (2) Black Heddon, £91 Hillcrest Livestock, £89 Black Heddon, £87 Lilburn Estates, £81 Village Farm. Suff.x:- £87 West Longridge, £85 Alnham, £79 Lilburn Estates and West Longridge. BFL:- £87 Fawdon Farms. Mule:- £69 Black Heddon, £67 Alnham and Lilburn Estates, £65 Brockley Hall, £63 Craigshouse. BF:- £59 Fawdon Farms, £49 Barmoor Red House.

st boswells

John Swan Ltd sold 73 store and grazing cattle at their fortnightly sale last Thursday.

Bullocks per head: AA.x;- £1175, £1080, £900 Broomiebank, Lim.x;- £1000, £945 Orchard Hwk. £970 Lower Ashtrees, £865 Greenhead. S, BRB;- £965, £955 Orchard Hwk.

Bullocks per kg: BRB;- 229.8, 227.4 Orchard Hwk., Lim.x;- 225, 222.2, Orchard Hwk, 213.6, 211.5 Greenhead. S, AA.x;- 222.7, 217.6 Broomiebank.

Bullocks averaged: 417kgs, 200p pkg £834 .

Heifers per head: AA.x;- £1065, £985 Stouslie, £865 Broomiebank, Lim.x;- £970 Broomiebank, £955, £925, £900, £885 Greenhead. S.

Heifers per kg: Lim.x;- 230.1, 227.9, 226.8, 222.9, 218.5 Greenhead. S, AA.x;- 214.1 Stouslie, 213.6 Broomiebank.

Heifers averaged; 398kg, 210p pkg, £837.

At their opening sale the firm also sold 1,625 store and feeding lambs which met a very strong demand.

Tex:- £66 Lustruther, £64.50 Woolaw, £64 Greenhead. S; Suff.x;- £64 Lustruther, £62.50 Greenhead. S, £60.50 Brotherstone; Char.x;- £63 Ruletownhead, Lleyn:- £59, £58 Dolphinston, CM;- £52 The Shieling; BF;- £50 Fallowlees.

At their weekly primestock sale on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 69 clean cattle, 30 OTM cattle, 2,373 new season lambs and 1,287 ewes.

Bullocks (36) averaged 209.4p per kg and sold to 244p (+3.1p on week), heifers (31) averaged per 217p per kg and sold to 237p (n/c on week), two young bulls averaged 135p per kg and sold to 137p ( n/c on week), 25 beef type OTM cattle averaged 119.4p per kg and sold to 175p (-4.8p on the week) and five dairy type OTM cattle averaged 83.3p per kg and sold to 107p (n/c on the week).

New season lambs averaged 163.8p per kg (+0.5 on the week) and sold to £100, top price 2.03p per kg for Beltex.

Ewes averaged £53.14, and sold to £107 for Texel. Heavy ewes averaged £62.93 and light ewes sold to £59 for Blackface and averaged £34.19.

Principal prices per head: Longnewton £1491.60, £1481.76, £1470; Dunslaw £1466.80; Lennoxlove £1434.72.

Principal prices per kg: Lennoxlove 2.44, 2.25 M/s Moor; Woodhead,A 2.37 W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons, 2.34 Foley Bros, 2.27 Robert L Wilson Butcher Ltd; Bee Edge 2.37 W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons, 2.35 J.Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.29 W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons; Greenknowe 2.34 Shaws of Lauder, 2.30 (twice) G and L Archibald Ltd, J. Gilmour and Co Ltd; Penston 2.30 W.T.S. Forsyth and Sons; Humbie Mill 2.29 (twice) Ramsay Family Butchers and John Anderson (Butchers), 2.27 James Cockburn and Son; Wester Ulston 2.28 J.F. Finlay and Co Ltd.

Bulls: Wester Middleton £1188.10.

Cows per head: Kersknowe £1220, £1112.32; Wester Middleton, £1169.60, £1123.20, £1024.76; Leaderfoot £1085; Deanfoot £986.90, £945.40, £887.52; Smailholm Mains £984.20, £833.94; Dunslaw £969.50; Over Whitlaw £949.62; Greenknowe £906.52.

Cows per kg: Dunslaw 1.75; Wester Middleton 1.72, 1.60, 1.37; Kersknowe 1.58, 1.51; Deanfoot 1.45, 1.39, 1.29; Smailholm Mains 1.33, 1.23; Over Whitlaw 1.33; Greenknowe 1.31, 1.29; Leaderfoot 1.25; Swinside 1.23.

John Swan Limited held their Annual Show and Sale of Beltex Prime Lambs. The show was sponsored by Davidsons and Carrs Billington and expertly judged by Mr Robert Wilson. The Champion was awarded to Messrs Rennie, Sydenham weighing 49kgs making £99.50. Reserve from Messrs Pate, Craigsford Mains, weighing 50kg making £90.50.

Lambs per head: Suff.x £100 The Lee, £86, £80 Huntington, £80 Headshaw L, Threepwood; Bel. £99.50, £84 Sydenham, £90.50, £89.50 Craigsford, £82, £80 Redden; Tex £97 The Lee, £90 Hermiston, £85.50 Huntington; Cha. £83.50, £71 Woodhouse, £73 Torview; Chev £69.50 Hawthornside, £65 Parkhill; HB £69, £65 Stobshiel Mains; GF £65 Lauderhill; CHM £67.50 Gilston

Lambs per kg: Bel 2.03, 2.00 Sydenham, 1.98 Craigsford, 1.91 Wester Deans; Tex 1.87 Lower Ashtrees, 1.84 Earlston Mains; Suff.x 1.72 Huntington, The Lee, 1.70 Headshaw Lauder; Cha 1.70 Borthwickshiels, 1.69 Woodhouse

Ewes: Tex £107 The Lee, Upper Huntlywood, £101 Blackadder Mains; Suff.x £95 Corsbie, £91 Hermiston, £88 Woodside; Suff £89 Brotherstone; Lle £83, £73 Lustruther; Chv £71 Whitchesters, £67 Woodside, Cairns; BF £59 Burnhouse Mains, £55 Raeshaw; GF £78 Corsbie, £77 Berryhill, £73 Woodhouse; BFL £71 Hartside.

Rams: Tex £127, £103 Blackadder Mains, £105, £73 Hermiston, £100 Drinkstone; BFL £90 Hartside; Suff £77 Woodhouse; Bel £70 Hartside.

longtown

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart plc had forward 17 prime cattle, 16 over 30 month cattle, 2,182 prime lambs and 5,254 cast ewes and rams at their weekly sale at Longtown last Thursday.

A plainer show of prime cattle presented and many more are required to keep up with the ever-increasing demand. Top price to 221.5p for Limousin heifers shown by A. and W.J. Taylor and Son, Dashwellgreen, purchased by Border Meats, Butchers, Lockerbie. Limousin bullocks sold to 220.5p also from Messrs Taylor, this time purchased by Mr John Little.

A plainer show of cast cows saw fleshy farm assured cows sell to a good trade and topped at 146.5p for a Luing from J.G. Murray and Son, Branxholm Braes.

Prime lambs were a smaller show, owing to the decline in the trade plus farmers harvesting and silaging the last few days. However, trade was buoyant with all weights up 10p per kilo to average 174p overall. Top price per kilo was 210p for Texels from Lanerton and to £93.50 per head for Texels from Mill View and Ormiston.

Light lambs also enjoyed the uplift in price to a top of £67.50 per head and 193p per kilo for Texels from Greenwell Meadows.

Prime ewes and rams were a smaller entry, but nevertheless trade was just as dear as ever with the large company of buyers keen for supplies.

Rams sold to £200 for Suffolks and Texels from Guards Mill.

There are a wide variety of firms in the Scottish Borders in the business of providing care for people in the community, of all ages.

From head to toe personal care to looking after elderly family members, these services are vital components for people to live happy and healthy lives in the area.

They are also ever more important with an ageing population and people living longer.

Many businesses are adapting to the changing needs of their customers, like Glennie Opticians in Hawick, who offer free home visits to people who are housebound.

The practice is equipped with the latest technology, including a retinal camera to take images of the back of the eye and offers free NHS-funded sight tests.

Although many people believe that an eye test is only needed if they require new glasses or contact lenses, an eye examination is also an important health check.

Vision Dental, also based in Hawick, are also at the leading edge of health care.

The laboratory offers the full range of dental services, but has a particular emphasis on crown, bridge, veneer and implant work.

Using only the finest quality materials and products available is only part of their highly personalised service.

They also pride themselves on ensuring that their dental work is virtually indistinguishable from the patient’s natural teeth, using detailed shade and character matching and digital photography to ensure the best match.

GK Dental also offers local people a range of dental services, with the highest quality care and service from regular check-ups to dedicated, professional tooth cleaning services.

The Hawick practice also offers same day appointments and can help give you the smile you have always dreamed of.

The practice believe that feeling good about your smile will result in higher self-esteem and improved self-confidence, and use the latest procedures and highest quality equipment to provide the best results.

If it is the other end of your body that is giving you problems, a visit to Linda Sinclair Podiatry and Chiropody in St Boswells.

Registered with the Health Professionals Council, Linda has acquired a broad range of skills through her work in the NHS and private sector.

She offers a full range of services from biomechanical assessments to routine nail care and surgery.

Home visits are also available and Linda is able to administer local anaesthetic to help manage more uncomfortable conditions.

Close to the Scotland/England border, on the banks of the Tweed, sits Carham Hall care home.

The former country mansion house was established as a residential home 30 years ago by John and Jean Baxter.

Their team of staff provide respite, intermediate and permanent personal care for residents in beautiful surroundings.

Registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission, Carham Hall provides care for up to 22 older people.

At the most recent routine inspection, both service users and their relatives praised Carham Hall for the quality of staff and care.

The inspectors found that the service met the standards required in every area they assessed.

Eddie Poole began his life-long love affair with the magic of cinema in his home town of Preston before the outbreak of the Second World War.

More than seven decades later and, despite being technically ‘retired’ for 15 years, he still plays a pivotal role in his family’s business, running the Pavilion Cinema in Galashiels.

The Pooles have run the four-screen Pavilion since it opened in 1996 after the conversion of the former Kingsway cinema in the town’s Market Square.

But it’s a long way from Eddie’s humble beginnings in the moving picture industry, when he was bought a hand-cranked 9.5mm projector for Christmas.

Eddie, who has lived in Greenlaw with wife, Ann, since 2003, used the projector to run silent films, starring the likes of Charlie Chaplin.

“When the war finished, my parents then bought a 16mm silent projector, for which the quality of film was much better and I also joined a local film library,” he told us.

“I’d converted the projector for sound. I was a keen cinema-goer, like everyone was in the days before television, and I wanted to imitate what was happening in cinemas in town. So my dad painted me a white screen with a black border on a piece of hardboard which I could put up in our lounge.

“I surrounded it with electric curtains and lights operated from the projector and converted the front room into a small cinema, complete with music, dimming house and stage lights.”

And it was while in his last year of secondary school that a work experience trip to the local Ritz cinema in Preston saw the 15-year-old Eddie end up with a part-time job as a relief projectionist several nights a week.

“By the time I left school, I’d been at the Ritz for the best part of a year. It was 1950 and they asked if I wanted a full-time job as second projectionist on £6 a week – my dad was only just earning that!

“I loved doing it, but my dad said ‘no’, as he didn’t feel it was a recognised trade. He said learn a trade and then you go and do what you want.

“He was actually right to some extent, as it wasn’t long after that that TV started to encroach in the mid-1950s and cinema admissions began to fall right across the country.”

Although he carried on working part-time at the Ritz, Eddie eventually took up an apprenticeship that saw him train as an electronic instrumentation mechanic for the Britain’s fledgling atomic energy industry.

“I pretty much dropped my interest in cinema after that as I just didn’t have the time. I had a couple of nights each week at night school plus I’d taken up athletics – I met Ann at an athletics meeting.”

There followed a raft of moves around the country, from Dorset to Edinburgh, including a long stint working for the English Electric Company supervising teams of mechanics and engineers maintaining and repairing the huge computers of the 1950s.

Eventually he left English Electric to join a small firm set up by a former colleague which involved travelling the country as a mobile mechanic working on computers for various customers.

In the end, however, he grew tired of driving hundreds of miles to find out the only problem with a particular machine was someone had not switched it on properly, only to then be faced with driving hundreds of miles back home again.

So the Pooles settled in Ayton, where they made a complete change, running the local grocery store.

But a chance drive past a cinema in Dunoon had already seen Eddie’s dormant interest in the cinema rekindled.

“I went in and spoke to the owner as I couldn’t figure out he could make a living when cinema was meant to be dead and buried by this point.

“So we bought couple of 16mm sound projectors and went on the road doing mobile shows in the evenings – that was in the late 1970s.

“It was during this period that we put on films at the construction village for the workers building Torness nuclear power station. There was one film they wouldn’t let us show – the China Syndrome! Not surprising really,” Eddie laughed.

“We rented films from people like Warner Brothers, Fox and Disney, which had all their films on 16mm and you just paid them a percentage of the take or on a flat fee basis.”

An acquaintanceship made through a mutual enjoyment of dinghy sailing on Loch Tummel saw the Pooles agree a deal to rent and reopen the disused Reel cinema in Pitlochry.

“That was 1981 and the first film we showed at Pitlochry was The Empire Strikes Back,” explained Eddie.

“It should’ve been the Pooles strike back!” quipped Ann.

And it was the start of big things, with the next decade seeing the family take on the running of cinemas in, amongst other places, Arbroath, Dundee, Eyemouth in 1983, and finally the Roxy in Kelso in 1985. The various cinemas were complemented with bingo, discos and roller discos to keep them afloat, with all the family taking a hand in their operation.

But by 1993, the Pooles had taken on the Kingsway cinema in Galashiels for the property’s new local owners.

They had pretty much divested themselves of many of their other cinema interests to focus on keeping the Galashiels cinema and bingo going while the building was converted into a modern four-screen cinema.

Ann took up the story: “It was a horrendous time. They’d taken out the old heating system and we had regulars who brought cushions and hot water bottles to keep warm when watching a film.

“The roof was also being replaced above the entrance and the rain regularly poured through and we needed buckets and pails everywhere and were constantly mopping it up.”

But it was worth it when The Pavilion finally opened its doors in the March of 1996.

Although supposedly retired, Eddie still helps out youngest son Andrew with the booking of films for The Pavilion, dealing with big distributors and doing publicity.

He reveals the most successful film he ever booked was Mel Gibson’s blockbuster, Braveheart, which ran for a year at The Pavilion. “We wore our copy out and had to ask for another!”

Eddie says his love of cinema is a combination of everything from the technical side, to the films themselves and the element of showmanship needed to present films successfully for audiences.

“When I used to run my little front-room cinema all those years ago, I used to get all my friends and relatives to come in.

“It was a halfpenny to sit on the floor, a penny for a hard chair and tuppence to get on the settee!”

Ann added: “He used to show them outside as well; on the gable end of the house next door.”

Eddie explained: “ I had the projector set up to point through our window onto the end wall of the house – not so much a drive-in as a sit-in!”

And despite the modern impact of the internet and the streaming of movies to 
devices, such as iPads, Eddie, now a grandfather and great-grandfather who celebrates his 80th birthday next month, is confident cinema still has a future.

“As the lights go down and the curtains draw back – there’s nothing like it. It’s still magical,” he whispers.

A 30-year-old man who admitted downloading indecent images of children was placed on the Sex Offenders Register at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday.

Police raided Kenneth MacKenzie’s home near Chirnside in Berwickshire after being alerted that someone in the house using the internet on three separate occasions had involved indecent images of youngsters.

Prosecutor Tessa Bradley said: “Officers attended at the address with a warrant. The accused was found in a bedroom asleep. The house was searched and in the course of that search a laptop and a hard drive were seized.

“They belonged to the accused and the items were examined and a number of indecent images were recovered.”

Ms Bradley explained that on the hard drive eight indecent images were recovered – one at level two, three at level three and four at level four. She said the search engine had the search term phrases usually associated with indecent images of children.

Ms Bradley said on the laptop 357 indecent images were found – the vast majority being at level one, which was the least serious. There was one at level two and two at level four.

Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence until October 20 for a Criminal Justice Social Work Report to be produced and ordered MacKenzie’s name be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

A Peebles man who made racist comments towards two Indian restaurant staff and punched one of them was ordered to pay a total of £500.

At Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday, 48-year-old Colin Boyle, of Cuddyside, pleaded guilty to the offences which happened outside the restaurant in Northgate, Peebles, on Sunday night.

He appeared from custody and was fined £150 for the comments and £150 for the assault. Jobless Boyle – who had been drinking – was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to each of the two workers he abused.

This week we return to the subject of breast cancer and the fact that a new report has revealed that the number of women who died from breast cancer in the Borders doubled last year, ­going from 18 in 2012 to 36.

The increase coincides with a fall in the early diagnosis rates for the disease in the Borders, which was partly attributed to limited mobile breast screening during 2012 and the fact none at all took place in the first seven months of 2013.

Statistics can be complicated and great care must always be taken when interpreting them, however NHS Borders’ inability to respond to our requests for information this week did nothing to help shed more light on this situation.

As MSP John Lamont indicated, it’s impossible to solely pin the blame for the doubling of breast cancer deaths on the absence of breast screening over that period, but without clear information to the contrary, of course we are going to ask whether that had something to do with it.

And speaking as a woman of breast screening age, this is a serious concern.

Breast cancer is the second biggest cause of death from cancer in women, yet breast cancer charities attribute early breast screening and early diagnosis to people – both woman and men – surviving longer.
So, whatever is behind the lack of information coming from NHS Borders on the subject, please address it.