As the summer draws on, one group of plants is becoming more noticeable by the day and that is the thistles.

There are around 20 species of thistle in the UK with the three most common in our area probably being the creeping thistle, marsh thistle and spear thistle but many others do occur including the welted thistle and melancholy thistle.

Some like the creeping are named after their method of spreading, the marsh from its habitat and the spear from the resemblance of its leaves to the ancient weapon.

When in flower, they are mostly very attractive to insects, especially butterflies, hoverflies and bees so their place in the food chain is very important. In the old days, thistles in pastures were cut down by scythe and many were missed, but with the much more efficient herbicides of today, most are wiped out completely in one application leaving only those on waste ground and inaccessible areas available to insects.

Once the flowers are past, seeds are carried on fluffy parachutes on the wind and can travel great distances. As a result, thistles are great colonisers of bare or disturbed ground and along with rosebay willowherb, are usually the first plants to become established.

“How did the thistle become the unlikely emblem of Scotland?” I hear you ask. There are many stories and theories about how this happened, but I think the most popular is this: According to legend, an invading Norse army was attempting to sneak up at night upon a Scottish army’s encampment. During this operation one barefoot Norseman had the misfortune to step on a thistle, causing him to cry out in pain, thus alerting Scots to the presence of the Norse invaders. Some sources suggest the specific occasion was the Battle of Largs, but it is not certain.

The species involved was probably the spear thistle as this seems to be the one represented on most heraldic illustrations over the years.

A total of 1200 military and civilian performers rehearsed together for the first time today at Redford Barracks in preparation for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

The world famous event starts on Friday and runs until August 27.

The 2016 Olympic Games in Rio get under way officially this weekend.

But cast your mind back four years to when the Games were held in London - how much do you remember of the spectacular event?

bowden

Fete

On Saturday, August 13, a church fete will be held at the village hall from 2-4pm.

A Galashiels offender will be sentenced next week after admitting stabbing a 29-year-old man.

Robert Gregg, who is 39 years of age, was initially charged with attempting to murder the victim in the Langlee area of the town during the early hours of Saturday, December 19.

The victim was found with stab wounds in Marmion Road at around 6.45am and taken to Borders General Hospital for treatment.

Gregg pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assault to severe injury at the High Court in Edinburgh.

He was this week remanded in custody for reports and will be sentenced on Tuesday.

His co-accused, Michael Gilbert, had his not guilty plea to an allegation of attempted murder accepted by the Crown.

BIRTHDAY BASH ENDS IN DAMAGE

A Peebles kitchen porter’s 33rd birthday celebrations ended with him drunkenly confronting two women in a car, making offensive gestures at them and damaging the vehicle.

George Pretswell pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner near his Connor Street home on April 22.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said: “Two young ladies had decided to go swimming about 6.30pm. Their vehicle came to a stop as one picked up another.

“The accused appears to be unknown to them, but he stood in front of the car and started blowing kisses at them. He then started shouting, ‘I own this town’, in an aggressive manner and the ladies were petrified.”

The fiscal went on: “The driver locked the door as a result of his behaviour and she started taking a video of him on her phone.

“At that point the accused struck the bonnet of the car, causing a long dent in the centre. The driver reversed and managed to get away. She reported the matter to the police and showed them the footage on her phone. The police spoke to the accused and he was upset, saying he was drunk and very regretful. He had suffered a head injury and had no idea of getting home.”

Pretswell told the court: “I had been out celebrating my birthday. I had nothing to eat before I started drinking and it affected me.”

Pretswell was fined £150 and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the car driver.

SAW ATTACK ALLEGATION

A Duns man has been accused of striking another on the head with a saw.

Mathew Law, 26, of Station Drive, is charged with assault to severe injury and permanent disfigurement following the incident in Blinkbonny Gardens, Duns, on September 19.

He also faces allegations of breach of the peace, perverting the course of justice and being in possession of an offensive weapon – a saw.

The case was continued until August 15.

AXE POSSESSION CHARGE DENIED

An Eyemouth accused has been charged with being in possession of an axe at a Berwickshire caravan park.

David Finlayson, 28, of Acredale Road, denies the offence which is said to have happened at High View Caravan Park on October 10.

He also faces a charge of conducting himself in a disorderly manner while in possession of an axe, shouting and swearing, struggling with Linda Gillies and uttering threats of violence.

BREACHED PAYBACK ORDER

A Hawick labourer admitted breaching his community payback order by not carrying out the unpaid work he was given.

Gary McBride, 29, of Arthur Street, had sentence deferred for background reports, including a restriction-of-liberty assessment.

The case will recall on August 30.

ACCUSED OF

PUB ASSAULT

A Hawick man has been accused of severely injuring a man to his permanent disfigurement in a pub.

Garry Douglas, of Paterson Gardens, is charged with assaulting George O’Rourke in the Exchange Bar, Hawick, on September 12.

It is alleged he acted in an aggressive manner towards Mr O’Rourke, left the premises before returning, put his head against his head, pulled him from his chair, held his head down and then forced his (Douglas) thumb or finger into his mouth.

He has pleaded not guilty and the case was continued to August 15.

FATHER AND SON IN COURT

A Peebles man and his son appeared in private at Jedburgh Sheriff Court accused of assaulting a male to his severe injury.

Elliot Murray, who is 55, and his 27-year-old son, also called Elliot, made no plea or declaration, and the case was continued for further examination.

It follows an incident in Peebles last Monday.

COUPLE FOUND NOT GUILTY

A couple accused of maliciously felling trees in a St Boswells garden have walked free after a trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Forty-two-year-old Robin Litster and his wife, Angela, who is 44, had both denied committing the offence at the property in Buccleuch Chase between August 15, 2014, and February 8 last year.

The couple, whose address was given as care of the Professional Standards Department, Police Scotland, Grangemouth Police Office, had also denied stealing wood from felled trees in the garden.

They were found not guilty.

FRAUD CASE IS DESERTED

A Stichill pensioner has walked free from an £18,000 pension credit fraud charge at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Brenda Leddy, 80, of Garden Cottage Farm, had denied making false statements to the Department of Work and Pensions, and obtaining £18,041.48 pension credit to which she was not entitled between December 2005 and April last year.

It was alleged by the Crown that she had an income from a business she had an interest in which she did not declare.

However, when the case called at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, depute procurator fiscal Tessa Bradley said the case against the pensioner was being deserted.

ACCUSED ADMONISHED

A man who breached the terms of his bail order has been admonished at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Marques Munro, 20, had been released from court in May on condition he did not enter Innertleithen. But the following day he was found in the town.

After hearing he had been of good behaviour, Sheriff Peter Paterson admonished Munro, who is from the Bulwell area of Nottingham.

He still faces a charge of assault and robbery following an incident at the Caddon Court Mini Market in Innerleithen on Saturday, May 14.

OAP GIVES UP DRIVING LICENCE

A Peebles OAP who struck a cyclist while driving has avoided a ban at Selkirk Sheriff Court after voluntarily surrendering his licence.

Alexander Shields, 75, of Tweed Avenue, pleaded guilty to careless driving in Old Town, Peebles, on May 13. He failed to keep a proper lookout when turning and sent the cyclist over the car bonnet, injuring him.

Graham Fraser, prosecuting, expressed concern about Shields’ ability to drive, pointing out he had failed a police eyesight test with his spectacles both on and off.

Shields told the court he had subsequently passed an eyesight test, but had voluntarily surrendered his licence to the DVLA.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said the fact that Shields had acted responsibly and surrendered his licence would satisfy any public-safety protection fears raised by the procurator fiscal.

Shields had six penalty points placed on his licence and was fined £200.

FINED £500 FOR BGH DISTURBANCE

A woman who admitted shouting and swearing at medical staff in the accident and emergency department of Borders General Hospital has been fined £500 at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Jade Cameron, 31, had been found intoxicated near her home in Park View, Selkirk, on March 26 and taken to the hospital due to concerns about her condition.

She fell asleep in one of the bays and when a staff member tried to wake her up, she started shouting and swearing at staff.

The court was told that a small child being treated in the next bay was distressed by the disturbance.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said: “She was demanding a needle be taken out of her arm and was shouting and swearing, and heard by everyone.

“Eventually she was taken into custody.

“On being cautioned and charged she said, ‘I am really sorry’.”

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said the offence was out of character. He explained she had just come out of a long-term relationship and had not been eating or sleeping properly.

He added: “She completely lost control.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson said conduct of this nature at the hospital was unacceptable, but added it was unlikely to happen again.

REMANDED IN CUSTODY

A Selkirk man has been remanded in custody after being charged with housebreaking with intent to steal.

Daniel Hamilton, who is 27, appeared in private at the town’s sheriff court where he faces another two charges of attempted housebreakings with intent to steal. He is also accused of theft from a motor vehicle.

Hamilton made no plea or declaration and his case was continued for further examination.

He is expected to appear in court again next Tuesday.

BACKGROUND REPORTS

Background reports have been ordered into a Galashiels woman who was involved in two disturbances at the same premises on the same day.

Barbara Greenhill, 51, pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing and acting in an aggressive manner at Addaction in High Street, Galashiels, on two occasions on May 6.

Sentence was deferred until August 29 for the production of a criminal justice social work report.

SEPTEMBER TRIAL DATE

Samuel Wightman, 24, of Galabank Street, Galashiels, faces charges of driving while disqualified and dangerous driving.

He was remanded in custody until the trial date on September 1.

A top advertising creative has hailed the importance of local media, saying its trusted relationship with the communities it serves and its ability to get tangible results puts it in a unique position.

James Murphy, co founder of creative agency Adam&Eve whose clients include Halifax, Unilever, Volkswagen and Hasbro, points to the wide range of campaigns on local issues - whether it is keeping a hospital open, raising funds for a school, or exposing town hall waste - that sees local media engage with its readers and share their investment in the issues. He said this relationship is a shining example of the importance of grassroots connections in an increasingly globalised world.

Mr Murphy has been announced as the judge of the new creative category in this year’s Local Media Works Awards.

Writing for the News Media Association, James set out his thoughts on why local community, insight and understanding have a hugely important role in effective communications:

“Globalisation and the rise of international ad networks serving hundreds of markets across the globe have created huge opportunities for the ad industry.

“Networks have enabled agencies to share resources and pool knowledge in a way that would have been unthinkable 30 years ago.

“Likewise, rapid advances in technology have given consumers the ability to connect with people on the other side of the world in the blink of an eye.

“In this context, it seems counterintuitive to say that local is more important than ever before.

“But the fact is that local community remains hugely important, with people spending a great deal of their time and money close to home.

“For brands, this is significant because it suggests that local insight and understanding continue to have a hugely important role to play in effective communications.

“By tapping into regional insights, an advertiser can position itself as an ally to people in a particular geography, reflecting and articulating local concerns, aspirations or humour.

And when brands get this right it can be immensely effective.

“Local media, local newspapers in print and digital, is a natural platform for this kind of activity. The industry combines the sheer scale of 40 million readers each week with a deep rooted

connection with local community, based on a shared investment in local issues.

“Local papers campaign on things that matter to their readers - whether it’s keeping the local hospital open, raising funds for a school, or exposing town hall waste - with real, tangible results.

No other media can match this unique, highly trusted, and participatory relationship with its audience.

“As judge of the new creative category in this year’s Local Media Works Awards, I will be asking creatives from across the industry to think about some of these issues.

Entrants are tasked with answering the brief, What Does Local Mean to You? to come up with an execution for Local Media Works - the home of marketing for local newspapers and their digital

platforms - which effectively promotes local press.


“The winning ad will capture the unique relationship that local press has with its audiences and demonstrate how this can benefit national brands.

“Globalisation may have enabled people and businesses from opposite sides of the world to connect instantly, but local is still hugely important to people’s lives.

“I believe that by better understanding this and, when appropriate, reflecting local concerns and aspirations, communicators can help clients to achieve a much deeper and more meaningful relationship with their audiences.”

A £6,922 cheque was presented by Kelso Churches Together (KCT) to Mary Mulligan (red shirt) from Christian Aid Scotland at the Border Union Show on Friday.

The cash was raised during Christian Aid Week. Handing over the cheque is Ruth McGrath, of St Andrew’s Episcopal Church and co-ordinator of the KCT Christian Aid group, with Christian Aid collector John Barker (left) and Colin McGrath.

A former Borders police chief says there is an urgent need for a fundamental review of how policing can deliver what the Scottish public needs and expects.

And Hawick and Denholm councillor Watson McAteer claims Borderers will not be surprised at this week’s revelation that police officer numbers in Scotland have fallen to their lowest level since 2010.

“This has been a painfully obvious experience for our residents who have struggled to have their calls answered or have been lucky enough to have an officer eventually turn up to deal with a problem,” said Mr McAteer.

He was reacting to statistics released by the Scottish Government which show that, between April and June this year, there were 17,242 full-time equivalent police officers in Scotland – the lowest number since the last quarter of 2010 when the total was 17,217.

The new figures, however, confirm that numbers have gone up by 1,008 since 2007 when the SNP came to power at Holyrood.

Annabelle Ewing, Minister for Community Safety, said crime in Scotland is at a 41-year low, adding: “The reduction in crime levels is supported by continued high numbers of police in Scotland’s communities and


I’m pleased to note numbers remain well in excess of those in 2007.”

Mr McAteer, who was head of CID and divisional commander for Lothian and Borders before his retiral in 2004, is far from convinced.

“We can only speculate how many of the extra 1,000 officers [since 2007] have been removed from frontline duties to fill the massive gap resulting from the ‘voluntary pay-offs’ of civilian support staff, while levels of sickness absence are reported to be at an all time high,” he told The Southern.

“It is also impossible to gauge how many crimes are simply not being reported and what impact the ever-escalating scale of cyber crime is having on each and every one of us.

“Combine all this with a Police Scotland strategy that refuses to provide crime and incident statistics at a local ward level and there is real concern that the collaborative police approach we have come to expect is lost.

“The worst possible outcome of the current strategy is a growing lack of public confidence and respect.

“The officers who are left holding the fort are trying their best, but are being let down by those who hold the purse strings and power. I believe there is an urgent need for a fundamental review of how policing in Scotland is to deliver what the public needs and expects.”

In June, the Scottish Government launched a public consultation on its strategic priorities for Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority with a closing date of August 16 for responses.

“That process will be less than effective if there is a lack of credible financial support for what many regard as an ailing force,” stated Mr McAteer.

Meanwhile, Mr McAteer and his fellow ward councillor Stuart Marshall are due to meet Chief Superintendent Ivor Marshall, the Dalkeith-based new commander of the Lothians and Borders division, on August 22 to discuss a range of issues, including public opening hours at Borders police stations and plans to cut the number of senior-rank officers across the division.

There will be a good opportunity to test the accuracy of the Red Arrows this weekend in Peebles.

Thanks mainly to Eric Ward, a fellow of the Red Arrows, and team pilot Flight Lieutenant Stewart Campbell, who hails from the town, the Royal Air Force’s crack display outfit – seen here at an airshow held at the Museum of Flight in East Lothian last month – will do a flypast of the Peebles 7s at roughly 7.34pm and 40 seconds, coming in from the north. See Page 76 for a preview of the tournament at the Gytes.

Last Friday and Saturday saw Rotarians offering their annual “Wristband Service” at Kelso’s Border Union Show.

Rotary club members from Duns, Eyemouth, Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Lauderdale, Melrose, Peebles and Selkirk worked alongside Inner Wheel members from Eastern Borders and Galashiels to help keep young visitors to the event safe. Families were offered a free wristband for each child with a contact mobile number written on it so that parents and grandparents could be quickly reunited with their charges should one of them stray or become separated from them.

Take a look at these satellite images and identify the Scottish island.

It’s not as easy as you might think! (Pictures courtesy of Google Earth)

Eildon Housing Association has applied for planning permission to build 60 houses and flats at the Coopersknowe site at Easter Langlee, Galashiels.

The proposed affordable housing, to form phases four and five of the Coopersknowe site, are to be a mix of bungalows, semi-detached houses, short terraces with flats and associated landscaping.

Affected neighbours will be receiving consultation letters by Monday, August 15, but it is not yet known when the application will be put in front of Scottish Borders Council’s planning committee.

However, a series of consultation events has taken place, attended by residents of the earlier Coopersknowe houses and other neighbours.

During those consultations, subjects such as parking, a fence between the two sites and placement of a play area were discussed.

A council spokesperson said: “It is yet to be finalised which meeting of the planning and building standards committee will consider the Coopersknowe application, but it is likely to be in the coming months.”

The existing houses at Coopersknowe have not been without problems, with residents complaining of bad aromas emanating from the Easter Langlee landfill site a few yards further along the Lauder road, especially on hot days, although this has been partly tackled by use of deodorant sprays.

The land on which the new houses are proposed to be built is former farmland, and developers are looking closely at the possibility of a historic sheep dip being found on the site as it could have contaminated the land around it.

The council spokesman said: “The council’s contaminated land officer will review the application, and any matters relating to historic activities at the site will be considered in detail in due course.”

Included in the plan is a centrally-located play area and open space, while the neighbouring industrial estate will be shielded by retention of beech trees as much as possible, while a large tree will be kept at the entrance to the site.

Although Scottish Water said it had capacity at the time of application, it has warned the developer that it is “unable to reserve capacity, and connections to the waste and waste water networks can only be granted on a first-come- first-served basis”, adding: “For this reason, we may have to review our ability to serve the development on receipt of an application to connect.”

The Southern contacted Scottish Water to ask whether capacity at the waste water treatment facility at Netherdale was a problem.

A spokesman replied: “Galashiels waste water treatment works has capacity to meet the needs of all known planned developments within the area it serves.

“Once these developments have been completed, we expect there would still be additional capacity at the facility.”

The 2180 (Galashiels) Squadron of the Air Training Corps can now proudly fly their flag again.

With the 75th anniversary of the formation of the ATC parade in Edinburgh fast approaching, the squadron decided to have its banner cleaned, but the colours ran during the cleaning process, effectively destroying the £900 banner.

Squadron Leader Frank Wielbo said: “We could have bought a new banner commercially, but they are probably mass produced in some far-off land.

“The idea of engaging with a local expert to produce a new banner locally really appealed to us, so we approached Lella Cherrie at Tartanish, which is located at the Tweedbank Craft Centre.”

Working with textiles student Lois Donohoe, who hails from Swindon and is about to enter fourth year at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Lella researched the colours, material and text styles required to replicate the banner, throwing up a few anomalies in the process.

Looking at many images of air cadets’ banners, it became clear that the text, colours and assembly process used in creating the original banner differed markedly from the norm.

The result of the work done by Lella and Lois is that the squadron now has a banner matching the officially recognised colours and style of other air cadet banners across the UK.

And, just so there are no accidents in the future, Lella provided detailed washing instructions.

Borders Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspicious fire in Kelso.

The incident happened around 7.45pm on Tuesday, August 2, within Hendersyde Park.

A wooden horse jump due to be used for a charity event this coming weekend, was set alight and completely destroyed.

Officers are conducting local inquiries to trace those responsible and anyone with information is asked to come forward.

Constable Gavin Liddle from Kelso Police Station said: “The horse jump was due to be utilised during the upcoming Hendersyde Park Horse Trials, an event which takes place annually, and raises thousands of pounds for local charities.

“Organisers have been left deeply frustrated and disappointed as a result of this reckless act of destruction and we are keen to hear from anyone who remembers seeing any suspicious activity in the park on Tuesday evening.

“In addition, anyone with any further information that can assist with our inquiries is also asked to contact police immediately.”

The Agnew family open their home once a year to host the trials, which over the past 12 years have raised over £49,000 for local causes.

This year, the money raised at the trials is being donated to the Borders Children’s Charity.

Those with any information about the fire can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Work to check the safety of masonry on the front of the Ettrick Riverside business centre in Selkirk has been ordered by its owners.

The safety check follows an incident on Tuesday last week when one of the facing stones on the extensive facade of the former Victorian mill in Dunsdale Road crashed to the ground.

“No one was hurt, and no further damage was caused,” said a spokesperson for Scottish Enterprise, owner of the complex at the former Ettrick and Yarrow Spinners Mill.

“A stonemason was called out the same day to do an initial inspection, and a building surveyor attended on Monday of this week to do a full survey.

“He has advised that we need to carry out a hammer test to the whole facade on the Dunsdale Road side of the building to determine if there are any other issues and if further remedial works are required.

“The test will be carried out by a specialist stonemason who will use a cherry-picker to access all areas.

“We are in the process of organising this at the moment.”

The spokesperson said immediate precautionary action had been taken to protect the public following last week’s incident.

“We have cordoned off the appropriate areas at the front of the building, while still protecting fire escapes, and have put protective covering over the fire exits,” she said.

“This only affects the front of the building, so tenants and the public are still able to access offices using the main entrance to the rear.”

Built in 1835, the building ceased to operate as a textile mill in 1988.

It was adapted into a business centre by the former Scottish Enterprise Borders between 1999 and 2002, with work to develop the building’s third floor being completed in 2007.

The transformation has cost around £6m, including £1.5m of European Union cash.

The site is now home to around 30 companies and 150 staff altogether.

A £2.9m European Union regional development fund grant to attract business and jobs to the Borders has so far resulted in no employment land being sold and no work being created, it has been revealed.

The EU funding was confirmed in 2010 to develop five business and industrial parks across the region – at Coldstream, Duns, Lauder, Hawick and Peebles.

In May 2014, a Scottish Borders Council spokesperson confirmed that work on the employment sites would be completed in December 2014 and plots would be available for new businesses to locate to the region and for local businesses to grow and expand.

However, this week Bryan McGrath, the council’s chief officer for economic development, said: “We have had a number of interests from businesses in all the sites, but none of the plots has yet been sold.

“The level of interest has been as follows – Hawick, five businesses; Lauder, six businesses; Duns, five businesses; Coldstream, two businesses.

“Obviously, no jobs will be created until plots are sold and the businesses develop buildings on site.”

Coldstream Community Council asked the authority for a progress report on the business park after receiving reports of companies making inquiries, only to be told they did not fit the criteria.

Suspicions have been voiced that the EU funding came with such restrictive conditions that it is going to be difficult for companies to meet them, meaning that the expected eight new jobs per plot will never be created.

Lennel Mount Industrial Estate, Coldstream. - now called Coldstream Business Park

· Duns Industrial Estate.

· Burnfoot South Industrial Estate, Hawick.

· Whitlaw Road Industrial Estate, Lauder

Dozens of people turned out at a public meeting last week to express their opposition to plans for a controversial wind farm south of Hawick.

Around 75 residents of Southdean, Hobkirk, Lanton, Jed Valley, Denholm, Hawick and beyond gathered at Southdean Village Hall at Chesters to consider plans for 13 giant wind turbines near Highlee Hill.

It follows the submission to Scottish Borders Council of a planning application by Renewable Energy Systems (RES) for the wind power plant next to Lustruther Farm.

All but two of the proposed turbines would be 176m tall from base to blade tip – the tallest ever erected in the Borders.

The 35 residents of Southdean in attendance at the meeting, called by community councillors, were unequivocal in their opposition to the planning bid.

Meeting chairman Philip Kerr said to construct the site would need a requirement for blasting, and very little information had been received that would allow residents to understand the consequences of that.

He said: “There will be over 70,000 vehicle movements, with over 500 a day at the peak construction time.

“While the exact routes are not yet declared, all are concerned at the impact this will have on the road network as well as impacting on the sub-structures of properties – particularly old buildings – situated next to the road.”

Hawick and Denholm councillor Watson McAteer added: “The large turnout at Southdean Community Council highlights the worries and concerns the local residents have to the threat being posed by an overproliferation of wind farms.

“The Scottish Government must listen and act to reassure those who are being left to feel very vulnerable, as well as safeguarding an area of outstanding natural beauty.”

Innerleithen shopkeeper Martha Gibson says she has been overwhelmed by the support she has received in the town since being told the purple frontage of her small retail outlet is in breach of Scottish Borders Council planning policies.

Mrs Gibson incurred the disapproval of the council’s local review body last month after seeking retrospective planning permission for the colour scheme at her Treasure Island premises in Leithen Road.

Although it is a year since the shop front was painted, Mrs Gibson required consent because it lies within Innerleithen’s conservation area.

However, councillors upheld the March decision of a local planning officer who deemed the colour “incongruous”, claiming it caused “a jarring juxtaposition with the softer, neutral tones of the buildings it relates to”.

As reported in the Southern last week, Mrs Gibson described that ruling as “absolutely ridiculous” and said she had no intention of complying, citing “wild inconsistencies” in shop colours and architectural styles throughout Innerleithen.

Now, her defiant stance has sparked a show of support in the town, including the circulation of a petition backing her in other shops and pubs at the weekend.

In one outlet alone, the Village Store in High Street, the petition has already attracted more than 200 signatures.

“I had nothing to do with this petition, which has, I understand, been started by a lady who wishes to remain anonymous but feels, as I do, that I’m being victimised by an inflexible planning system,” said Mrs Gibson.

“I seem to have unwittingly become the talk of the town, and I’m overwhelmed with the support I’ve had, both on social media and from people I meet in the street.

“It now takes me an hour to walk along High Street because so many folk are stopping to chat and saying they feel there is nothing wrong with the colour and that the council should have something better to do.

“It’s also been pointed out to me that the town’s big visitor attraction – the St Ronan’s Wells Centre, which is run by the council – is painted a garish blue, which is hardly in keeping with its surroundings.

“All I have done in a bid to make my shop more attractive is paint a Victorian building in a Victorian colour.”

Mrs Gibson said that since the review board made its decision on July 18, she has received no formal communication from the council repeating its request to her to submit a fresh planning application for consent to repaint the frontage “in a more appropriate colour”.

A council spokesperson said: “We would firstly seek to resolve any issue through discussions and negotiations, but if this is unsuccessful, the council does have the option of serving a notice to ensure any unauthorised works are removed.”

Old soldiers never die, they just fade away, said US general Douglas MacArthur in his farewell address to Congress in 1951 – but, if so, no one seems to have told that to veterans of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB).

Not only have the old Borderers refused to fade away, but they continue to act as guardians of their former regiment’s history and traditions, fighting to ensure they live on in the British Army.

Almost 10 years to the day since the KOSB relinquished its status as an independent regiment, more than 300 veterans turned out for their annual Minden Day parade at its Berwick barracks and regimental museum on Saturday.

After the traditional Minden address, giving details of the 1759 battle in Germany during the Seven Years’ War that it is named after, read this year by former KOSB officer Donald Fairgrieve, there was a presentation of roses to veterans. Those on parade were then addressed by current KOSB Association president Angus Loudon before the veterans left the parade ground to march through Berwick.

Speaking afterwards, Colonel Loudon said: “It was an excellent day. We had a great turnout of association members and were lucky to have so much connection with the Somme in this 100th anniversary year – our rose presenter, Liz Howard-Thornton, whose great-grandfather fell with 2 KOSB on September 3, 1916, plus the Somme Pipe Band, and all in good weather too.”

It was a decade ago that the 300-year-old KOSB and the Royal Scots merged to become a battalion in the new Royal Regiment of Scotland (RRS) and were rechristened as the Royal Scots Borderers.

That merger followed a bitter, and ultimately unsuccessful, campaign that saw 35,000 people in the Borders alone sign a petition against the plans and a legal challenge mounted.

For many of those taking part in Saturday’s parade, that was their second campaign in 15 years to try to save their regiment from the axe.

Campaigners such as Mr Fairgrieve, of St Boswells, said plans such as those made four years ago to strip historic regimental names such as the Black Watch from battalions meant mean the threat to the military legacy of the Borders remains as real as ever.

“The future for the individual battalions that make up the RRS always seems up in the air and the threat to take away their famous names was worrying,” he said.