The trial of a motorist accused of causing the death of a mother-of-four from the Borders by careless driving has been delayed for three months.

Roddy Graham, 27, of Denholm, is charged with the offence following an incident on the A698 near the village.

He pleaded not guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

But before a jury trial could get under way, the defence asked for more time to allow an expert report to be prepared – a request which was not opposed by the Crown.

Kirsty Parker, 34, also from Denholm, died at the scene of the accident on February 11 last year.

Three of her children – aged one, nine and 12 – were also travelling in a car and were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Ms Parker was driving a Vauxhall Zafira which was in collision with a Peugeot 207 at around 4.15pm.

New dates for the trial have been fixed at Selkirk Sheriff Court – the jury sitting starts on August 8, with an intermediate hearing on July 3.

A Hawick man will stand trial next month on a charge of assaulting a man to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement in a Galashiels public house.

Colin Richardson, 20, of Charles Street, denies headbutting the man, causing him to fall to the floor, and repeatedly punching him on the head and body whereby he was rendered unconcious.

The alleged assault is said to have taken place in The Gluepot in Overhaugh Street on October 31, 2015.

A trial has been set for Selkirk Sheriff Court on June 12.

Background reports have been ordered into a Peebles man who used threatening or abusive behaviour at a hospital.

Keith Daly, 44, of Kingsway, pleaded guilty to acting in an aggressive manner at the town’s Haylodge Hospital by throwing a cup containing liquid over a tablet, spraying cleaning fluid at members of staff, kicking a public telephone and throwing leaflets around.

Sentence was deferred at Selkirk Sheriff Court until June 19.

An Innerleithen woman will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on a charge of making racially-abusive comments.

Pamela Melrose, 39, denies a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour at her home in Miller Street on February 20.

A trial date was fixed for August with an intermediate hearing on July 3.

Borders police are appealing for witnesses following a serious road collision on the A697 Greenlaw to Carfraemill road.

The incident happened at around 12.10pm on Thursday, May 25, near Greenlaw.

A 67-year-old man came off his Harley Davidson motorcycle and sustained a serious head injury.

He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where he remains in a critical condition.

Road Policing Officers responded to the scene and the road was closed for around six and a half hours while they conducted inquiries.

Anyone with information in relation to this matter is asked to come forward.

Inspector Richard Latto said: “We are satisfied that no other vehicles were involved in this incident, but our inquiries to establish exactly what happened are continuing.

“I would urge any other motorists who were on the A697 on Thursday afternoon and witnessed the rider coming off his motorcycle, or who have any other relevant information, to contact police immediately.”

Those with information can contact the Road Policing Unit at Galashiels via 101 and quote incident number 1501 of May 25.

In tribute to Sir Roger Moore, here’s a James Bond themed quiz.

Pictured are some of the most famous villains that Bond has encountered. But can you name them all?

Heavy rain is forecast to wipe out the sunshine tomorrow across Scotland.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Saturday from 1pm-3am saying heavy rain will spread north across the country.

The worst affected area will be the northwest where 30-40mm is likely over a wide area.

Where the heaviest downpours occur, there could be more than 60mm locally.

Rain will become persistent and heavy at times on Saturday afternoon and evening. Some torrential thundery outbreaks are likely in places, leading to some localised flooding, especially on the roads where some travel disruption may occur.

For most areas, the chief forecaster’s assessment said: “Skies will brighten following a band of showery rain, though rising temperatures will cause heavy showers to develop.

“Whilst many will miss the worst, some places could see 20-30mm in an hour or less. The risk of this looks slightly higher across Scotland than across England or Northern Ireland.”

A sunday dinner left in an oven, a samurai sword and a secret designer wardrobe have been revealed as some of the most surprising things Brits have left behind in storage facilities across the UK.

Self-storage provider Space Station surveyed its customers to find out the weird and wonderful items that have been left behind on its premises over the years.

Some of the more quirky items included a stuffed mammoth, a life-sized My Little Pony and a fake horse’s head.

The top ten weirdest items found in storage rooms in the UK:

1. A sunday dinner

2. A stuffed mammoth

3. A rifle and samurai sword

4. An old piano

5. A wooden fridge

6. Postman Pat’s electric van

7. An American classic car

8. An ejection seat from a 1950s Canberra Bomber

9. Empty champagne bottles

10. Designer wardrobe being hidden from a spouse

As well as these strange discoveries, it’s also not uncommon for employees to hear unusual requests, with some customers even asking if they can live in their storage container.

Vlatka Lake, marketing manager at Space Station, said: “People use self storage for a variety of reasons and this has turned storage units across the UK into a modern day treasure chest.

“Our research revealed some unexpected and truly remarkable items that have been found in storage units. With the self-storage trend on the rise, the number of unusual items being stored here in the UK is bound to see an increase.

“Here at Space Station we’ll definitely be on the lookout for the next most wonderful and interesting items that come into our units!”

A young Borders butcher has nothing at all to beef about after being named Scotland’s young butcher of the year.

Ryan Briggs, 18, an employee at AJ Learmonth’s butcher’s shop in Jedburgh High Street said it was “a dream come true” as he was named under-22 champion in a hard-fought final at Scottish Meat Training’s skills competition at Perth.

Ryan competed against three other finalists to win the judges’ favour in a show of butchery skills against the clock.

He said that the many hours of practice he’d put in had all been worthwhile to secure the win.

“I even missed out on the Jedburgh Rugby Sevens to put in some practice,” laughed the Jedburgh Thistle prop forward.

“This is just amazing. I’m absolutely blown away to win this championship.

“This is the life I want, and winning this title at 18 is a brilliant boost for me.”

Ryan has worked at AJ Learmonth since leaving school two years ago.

“My dad was a butcher to trade and has always encouraged me to follow in his footsteps,” said the teenager.

“This win will make him so proud.”

Event head judge Keith Fisher said: “Every year, the standard gets higher.

“I know the industry in Scotland is in safe hands when I witness the skills shown by these butchers.

“Their enthusiasm, skill and passion shines through in all they do, and both our young and senior champions are more than deserving of their titles.

“They are shining examples of the extremely high standard of butcher we enjoy in Scotland.”

Whatever the outcome of this afternoon’s Scottish Cup final, Aberdeen will take one honour from this campaign. Today, Derek McInnes’ men will complete the longest season in the history of Scottish club football.

The Pittodrie club’s manager exaggerated yesterday in claiming the Hampden decider will come at the “end of a long season” that today will move on to the 350-day mark since his squad reported back for a first round Europa League qualifier. In reality, from beginning pre-season on 14 June for their opening continental foray 16 days later until today is a mere 348 days.

The fact that the Aberdeen players could finish the league campaign so strongly, with a 6-0 win over Partick Thistle after a first victory away to Rangers in 26 years, and all declare themselves fit for their second domestic final against Celtic this season is a measure of McInnes’ management.

As is the manner in which he has sought to present the break-up of the current squad as a potential driving force at the national stadium today. Niall McGinn, Ryan Jack – who McInnes says he stripped of the captaincy and handed it to Graeme Shinnie to remove the “spotlight” from him and not because he is Rangers bound – and Ash Taylor will likely make their last appearance for the club today. At the end of an epic season, McInnes dares to believe in an epic end for them and any possible other departees.

“It’s been a huge effort for everybody and we want the players, if they are leaving, the ones that are leaving, to go out in a blaze of glory,” he said. “Give it everything they’ve got. When you arrive at a club people may have a perception of you when they don’t actually know you – player or manager. However, it is important how you leave a club, the perception you leave. I’d love to put that medal in their hands but they have to go out and earn it and it would be the perfect ending to a brilliant season and also the perfect ending for a lot of those players’ careers at Aberdeen, after what they’ve given me the past few years.

“And we feel, even though we are huge underdogs and nobody really gives us a chance, it’s a game we can win.”

Despite being unquestionably the second best team in the country, in five outings against a Celtic team looking to complete the treble with a first-ever unbeaten domestic Scottish season, the best showing from Aberdeen was when they almost looked like avoiding defeat.

It is understandable for McInnes to seek encouragement in the response from going 3-0 down at home the other week and the narrowness of the loss at Celtic Park in February. That evening a late Dedryck Boyata header from a set-piece was all that separated the sides. However, as is true of all five defeats against Brendan Rodgers’ men, it was a game the Aberdeen never looked capable of winning.

Most painful was the way the Pittodrie men simply didn’t turn up in the League Cup final at Hampden, Celtic swatting them aside 3-0.“What I would say is that this feels far more relaxed,” McInnes said. That is when upsets can happen.

A bus company denies that the withdrawal of one of its services from a handful of streets in Hawick has left elderly passengers stranded.

Councillor Davie Paterson has contacted Perryman’s on several occasions to complain about the H1/H2 service introduced last year no longer serving Cheviot Road and neighbouring streets in his Hawick and Hermitage ward.

He says he has been contacted by a number of predominantly elderly constituents claiming to have been left isolated by that change of route, and he is calling for a rethink.

A spokeswoman for Perryman’s has defended the move, however, saying it followed extensive research and public consultation which found the service to be in least demand for the Cheviot Road part of its route as that is also served by No 47 buses.

Research also resulted in the extension of the service to meet demand at Burnfoot and the new Stonefield housing estate.

Mr Paterson said: “I’ve asked several times if it would be possible to bring back the bus service that my constituents used to have along Cheviot Road and down Bright Street, along Myerslaw Green and down Beaconsfield Terrace.

“The withdrawal of this service is causing a lot of problems, particularly to my elderly constituents, who say they miss it terribly and feel stranded without it.”

Mr Paterson has also written to Scottish Borders Council passenger transport bosses urging them to consider increasing the frequency of services in the town.

Claire Lark, operations manager at Perryman’s Buses, said: “The success of the Hawick town bus service is based on its reliability and customer usage. Therefore, it is our main priority to ensure we deliver a reliable bus service which meets the travel requirements of our customers.

“As a company, we have demonstrated our commitment to listening to the needs of our customers and, where possible, have extended and amended the route.

“Unfortunately, we are unable to serve all areas, especially in places where there is little to no demand.

“This would require additional resources which would not be commercially viable at this time.

“We have worked closely with officials at Scottish Borders Council over areas where service H1/H2 no longer operates, such as Cheviot Road and Bright Street, and we have been assured they are served by Scottish Borders Council’s community bus.”

Another company spokeswoman added that analysis of bus usage found that just one customer regularly boarded the H1/H2 bus a few times a week in Bright Street, and by removing Bright Street, the company was able to serve the new housing estate at Stonefield.

Meanwhile, Perryman’s has joined forces with Bus Users Scotland for a drop-in session to be staged next Wednesday, from 5pm to 8pm, at Burnfood Community Hub.

It will enable passengers to discuss bus services in Hawick with Borders Buses and Scottish Borders Council.

The public are invited to go along and have their say about local bus services.

Paul Turnbull will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court next month on a charge of breaking into a Galashiels house and stealing a hi-fi system.

The 38-year-old denies the offence which is said to have happened in Woodstock Avenue on January 20.

Turnbull, described on the complaint as a prisoner, was remanded in custody until the trial on June 12.

Michael Stead, 31, denies a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour at a house in Talisman Avenue, Galashiels, on May 8.

A trial date has been set at Selkirk Sheriff Court for June 8.

Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody until the trial date.

Background reports have been ordered into a Peebles man who admitted assaulting his partner.

James Scott, 34, of Glensax Road, pleaded guilty to punching the woman repeatedly to the head, scratching her face and seizing her by the neck during a bust-up at a house in Kittlegairy Road, Peebles,

The offence happened on April 9.

Sentence was deferred at Selkirk Sheriff Court until June 19.

An ex-hotelier has been accused at Selkirk Sheriff Court of sexually assaulting a female.

Daniel Wilson McKay, 65, is charged with biting the woman on the ear, pulling her onto his lap and repeatedly placing his hands on her breasts, over and under her clothing.

The offence is alleged to have been committed on various occasions at the Lauderdale Hotel in Lauder over a five-month period between April and September last year.

McKay, of St Leonards, Lauder, pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set for August 15, with an intermediate hearing on July 17.

A Peebles man who admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the town’s Elcho Street Brae on October 13 by behaving aggressively and making offensive hand gestures has been ordered to pay £100 compensation to a local man.

Joseph Ippolito, 53, of Elcho Street Brae, was also admonished at Selkirk Sheriff Court on a charge of shouting and swearing and knocking over a chair in the Cross Keys Hotel.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was called to a house fire in Selkirk this morning.

Two fire engines were dispatched to the property at Deer Park at around 8.35am.

A spokesman said: “Two appliances were immediately mobilised to the scene and upon arrival they discovered a fire within the premises.

“Crews wearing protective breathing apparatus entered the building and extinguished the flames with the aid of a high powered hose.

“No casualties were reported and crews remain at the scene as they ventilate the property and check for hotspots.”

Hawick Community Council is seeking three new members following the shock resignation of its chairwoman of the last five years.

Marion Short stood down from the council she’d been a member of since 2011 and chaired since 2012 earlier this month, saying she felt pressured into doing so as a result of struggling to work happily with an individual she declined to name.

The former local government worker of 41 years told the Hawick News: “My decision to stand down was not quite such a shock for me personally and some of my closest colleagues on the community council as they all knew I felt I had no other option rather than continue in a role which I had thoroughly enjoyed for six years.

“I had not been comfortable at working with one person for well over a year.

“Other people who know me are somewhat surprised as I am seen to be a strong influence on local community life, but there is just so much any person can accept.

“It was not an easy decision as the community council has many projects under way, and I was at the forefront of most and would have loved to have had an ongoing presence on them all.

“It has not actually been a nice time for me and my family, and it’s actually been quite stressful, but very reluctantly I had to make the decision to take a step back.”

Ian Turnbull, an unsuccessful Liberal Democrat candidate for Hawick and Denholm at the recent Scottish Borders Council election, was voted in as interim chairman until the council’s annual general meeting in July, when all office-bearers’ positions will be up for election.

He said: “Marion Short’s resignation came as a shock to all of the members of the community council. Marion has done a great job as chair of Hawick Community Council and will be a hard act to follow.”

Marion’s passion for Hawick remains undimmed, however, so she is refusing to rule out working for its community again in the future.

The 65-year-old, originally from Eyemouth but a resident of Hawick since 1975, where she lives with her husband Gordon, added:“Since the decision has been announced, I have to say that what has helped are the phone calls, emails and personal support not just from friends, family and colleagues but from people in the street.

“One even suggested that I should not have resigned but, rather, attempted to continue to be the thorn in the side of our local councillors and ensure that work is ongoing for Hawick.

“One thing is for sure – I remain keenly interested in all things Hawick, and once the boredom has finally set in, all other avenues for other community work will be explored.

Watson McAteer, the town’s new honorary provost, wished her well for the future, saying: “Marion Short has worked tirelessly for Hawick in her role as chair of Hawick Community Council and in her various local committee memberships.”

Former provost Stuart Marshall added: “I was saddened to hear of Marion’s decision to resign from the community council. Along with her council, she has worked hard, and I know that she has been instrumental in many projects including the Christmas lights .”

That leaves the council’s membership at 12 out of a possible 15. Anyone interested in joining up should email it at Hawickcc@gmail.com

With 100 days to go until the OVO Energy Tour of Britain races into the region for the stage one finish in Kelso, Borderers are being encouraged to get their thinking caps on to come up with suitable ways to welcome the race.

Representatives of Visit Kelso and local businesses got into the spirit of things last Friday, May 26, decorating a bike in the Square, where some of the world’s top cyclists will sprint for glory on Sunday, September 3.

Bryan McGrath, Scottish Borders Council’s chief officer for economic development, said: “When the Tour of Britain last visited the Borders in 2015 there was a great display of painted bikes, organised by Visit Kelso, and also some fantastic shop window displays in the town.

“This year, with a great route taking in so many towns and villages, we’d love to see residents all along it joining in the Tour spirit and really give the riders a great Borders welcome.

“The bolder and brighter the better, as this will help generate even more television coverage for our wonderful region, with the pictures being broadcast around the world.”

Starting in Edinburgh, the stage’s route includes the Lammermuir Hills and Coldstream, and then follows the River Tweed to Kelso. It then goes on to Scott’s View and Melrose, before a sprint to the finish line back in Kelso’s Square.

Karen Hume of Visit Kelso said: “Having played host to a stage finish in 2015, it is amazing for Kelso and the Borders to have another so soon after, and there is already a real buzz in the town about it.

“As the stage this year takes place on Sunday we hope even more people will come along to watch the race go by, twice thanks to the loop, and also enjoy the various other entertainment and hospitality planned for the day, as well as enjoying the wide variety of shops and food and drink establishments the town has to offer.”

Tweet pictures of your creations using the hashtag #BordersBikeBonanza and #OVOToB.

A trio of Gala Harriers secured podium finishes at the weekend, scooping silver and bronze medals at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival.

In the marathon, on-form Dianne Lauder had a superb run, completing the course in under three hours and finishing as third female, to take the bronze medal in a time of 2.54.46.

Complementing Dianne’s brilliant performance, Colin Brown ran the course in 3.30.21 and Neil Christie crossed the line in 3.53.33.

Julius Kipligat Korir was overall marathon winner in a time of 2.17.13, with Eddah Jepkosgei first female in 2.37.46. More than 6000 runners completed the 26.2 mile course.

Isla Paterson took silver following a fantastic run in the junior 5K, completing the course in 21.03, and Ewan Christie was also awarded silver after being second male home in the junior 2K, running a time of 7.18.

Darrell Hastie also had an excellent performance in the half marathon, finishing eighth overall in 1.12.47. Sara Green had a strong run, completing the course in 1.27.53 and finishing as 10th female.

In the 10k, Shona Smith crossed the line in 1.04.54 and, in the 5k, youngster Evan McConnell was 28th in 21.30.

Jack McDonald was 41st in the junior 5k, running in 23.53 and, in the junior 2k, Ross Christie also ran well, ending coming 28th in 8.10. Harris McDonald was close behind in 8.40, finishing 63rd overall.

The weekend of races took part around Holyrood Park, with the marathon and half marathon taking in some of the city’s famous landmarks and offering views of the scenic East Lothian coastline.