Go-ahead has been granted for a £6.7m project to create a permanent home for the Great Tapestry of Scotland in Galashiels, but the controversy surrounding it shows no sign of abating.

Scottish Borders Council’s planning department has given the green light to the demolition of the former Poundstretcher store in the High Street and the redevelopment of the old Channel Street post office next to it.

The location is set to become the permanent home for a visitor centre which will create 16 permanent jobs, attract more than 50,000 visitors each year and generate an annual income of £900,000.

But the realisation of the project has been far from a smooth one, with elected representatives from towns across the Borders questioning its value.

Councillor Mark Rowley, the council’s spokesman for economic development at Newtown, is more upbeat.

He believes the visitor centre will prove a great asset, saying: “It will also provide educational, retail and community facilities to benefit a wide variety of groups. The visitor centre would also be the first stage of a long-term strategy to stimulate investment in the local economy.”

Equally enthusiastic is Galashiels and District councillor Euan Jardine, who added: “It is great that a cultural building of national significance will be based in Galashiels. I am sure it will make our town a destination area for many years into the future.”

But many other elected members retain their animosity towards the project.

Councillor George Turnbull, Conservative for Hawick and Hermitage, fears it will become a burden on taxpayers.

He said: “I have never supported the Great Tapestry based on it having been viewed at every location free of charge, and now we are going to expect the public to travel and pay to view, admittedly, a wonderful potted history of Scotland, just does not stack up in my mind. We are going to lumber the taxpayers of Scottish Borders for 30 years with loan charges to pay off a building to house the Great Tapestry something the council does not even own.”

It’s a view shared by Hawick provost Councillor Watson McAteer, who added: “I do not believe there is any serious support for this initiative outside of Galashiels and even within that community I am aware of elected representatives and members of the public who regard this as a complete and utter waste of public money.”

But Councillor Clair Ramage, SNP for Hawick and Denholm, added: “Whilst accepting that folk might have wildly different views we need to move on.”

The project involved over 1,000 volunteers stitching the entire story of Scotland.

“Come on big man,” says the tallest guy I’ve ever met. “We’ll do this interview on one of these machines. They are brilliant, you can watch telly on them.”

Doddie Weir is one of the few people in the world who could get me on one of these infernal machines – and the jovial manner with which he did it goes a long way to explaining just how likeable he is.

An inspiration on the pitch and as a commentator, he is one of the genuinely nice guys in Borders rugby.

But since his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease earlier this year, he has had to pull out all the stops to get to grips with the condition – and is inspiring many more people as he does so.

As MND is a condition that wastes muscle, Doddie has been visiting his local TriFitness gym in Galashiels since the summer.

And he’s now helping the team there put together a programme which will help others with the condition – funded through the Doddie Weir’5 MND Trust.

The former international lock forward told us it was really helping him come to terms with MND.

“My chiropractor, Donald Francis, told me that if I don’t use it, I’ll lose it, so I came along to see Mark Forsyth and his team at this great gym.

“After coming away from here, it is such a wonderfully positive feeling. So we want to reach out to other sufferers or anyone else in a similar situation, to come along here and try it out for themselves.”

It really is on a suck-it-and-see basis, as little is known about how exercise will work with the condition.

And it’s the lack of knowledge available that really frustrates the former Melrose and Scotland star.

He said: “It’s a terminal condition, but very little has been done behind the scenes as to whether exercise is good not.

“The only thing available to myself is a drug that came out 22 years ago. Apart from that, nothing else has come to my plate.

“I’ve had to go out and do absolutely everything else. And being involved in professional sports, I’ve taken the attitude that if it’s a muscle wasting disease, let’s try and make it as difficult for the disease as possible.

“As far as I’m concerned, exercise is good for you, and the team here has come up with a programme for me to crack on with.

“I come in maybe two or three times a week for 45 minutes at a time. It’s a very fresh atmosphere, and you get to watch telly as you work out.”

TriFitness’s Mark Forsyth said: “Doddie has been a breath of fresh air in the gym since he started coming here in the summer.

“His personality is infectious, the staff love him and the other members love him.”

Mark described the programme they have prepared for the big fella.

He said: “When he comes in, he starts off on the rowing machine before going on the bikes. That’s his cardio work.

“Then he will do some resistance training on a variety of the machines, and then he’ll do some stretching to finish off. It is a programme that has been devised especially for Doddie after chats between him and Scott Chapman who is our senior health and fitness advisor and it’s fitted around what he wants to do and what he needs to do.

“Doddie has said that when he leaves, he feels not just physically good but mentally good too, so if we can help any more people in that way, if we can improve lives, that’s why we are doing this.”

There was barely a dry eye in the country earlier this month, as Doddie, along with his sons Angus, Hamish and Ben, delivered the match ball ahead of the All Blacks game.

He said: “That was such an emotional, unbelievable and difficult to explain day, given the support of the rugby public, the Scottish Rugby Union and the national team manager Gregor Townsend, which has been remarkable.

“It has helped propel the awareness of this condition to a magnitude we could never have expected.

“I have to thank them from the bottom of my heart for what they have done.

“Walking out with the kids was quite a memory for them as well.

“And on the flip side, it was nice to meet up with Gregor in the tunnel ... it was him who had orchestrated it all.

“He came out with the advice not to pass the ball amongst the boys in case I dropped it, and that was probably good advice, to be fair, because we could have been scarred for life.”

Doddie rounded off the interview by checking the display on my running machine.

“See! You’ve been doing five minutes on the treadmill and I can see the massive difference it’s made,” he cackled.

“You’ve burned off maybe enough for a sausage roll.”

With just under four weeks to go until Christmas, Royal Mail has revealed this year’s top 10 most wanted presents, according to children in their special letters to Santa.

Father Christmas’s team of Royal Mail elves, who have managed Santa’s mailbag for 54 years, have carried out the most authoritative survey of children’s wishes this Christmas.

Unlike most toy surveys in the run up to Christmas, the Royal Mail findings come directly from the children themselves.

Traditional toys continue to hold the top two spots, with Lego retaining its place at the top of the list. Lego has appeared in the top three since 2013.

Bikes have moved up from third place to take second place this year and video games consoles are a new entry in third place.

Hatchimals leap into fourth place, despite not featuring in the list at all in 2016, while scooters drop from second place down to fifth.

Mobile phones drop from fourth spot in 2016 down to sixth this year, with Paw Patrol also taking a tumble from fifth spot to seventh.

Two new entries to the list see Fingerlings and LOL Big Surprise Ball as the eighth and ninth most popular requests of Christmas 2017 with Nerf Guns falling from sixth to 10th.

Alex McConnell, Royal Mail’s Chief Elf, who has the important task of ensuring children’s letters reach Reindeerland at the North Pole, said: “Royal Mail plays a special part at Christmas. We are proud that for over 50 years Santa has allowed us to help manage the thousands and thousands of special letters he receives from boys and girls across the UK.

“His special team of elves at Royal Mail enjoy taking a peek at what children are asking for, and helping Santa reply to these special letters. Remember to include your full name and address on your letter so Santa can reply to you.”

Royal Mail will be live streaming Santa in his grotto on its Facebook page this Saturday, December 4, from 11am-noon when he will read out a selection of letters sent in this year by children. It promises to be a whole load of fun with the opportunity to win some prizes throughout.

The special letters also show that many children like to ask Santa questions instead of just asking for the latest toy as a gift. Some of the questions that children have asked Santa this year are:

How do you and your reindeers fly?

How did Rudolph get his red shiny nose?

Which is your favourite reindeer

How is Mrs Claus doing?

When is your birthday?

When did you start magic?

Finally, Royal Mail is asking everyone to make sure Santa receives their letters on time by writing to him using the correct address, on a stamped envelope, no later than next Friday, December 8:-

Santa/Father Christmas

Santa’s Grotto

Reindeerland

XM4 5HQ

And don’t forget that Santa needs to know the full name and address of children to reply so please include this in the letter.

A Scottish charity has launched a new online resource to support people who have had or been affected by an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland say Life After Cardiac Arrest aims to support people who have survived an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), their families and anyone who has suffered a close family bereavement as a result.

The website, which features advice and information as well as personal stories and videos, has been welcomed by survivors and health professionals.

Dr Gareth Clegg, clinical senior lecturer and honorary consultant in emergency medicine, University of Edinburgh said: “Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland is leading the way in terms of aftercare of OHCA by producing materials for survivors and trained responders.

“This resource offers rehabilitation advice and information for patients and their families to not only help them understand what has happened to them now, but what is to be expected in the future.”

Around 65 people in Scotland experience an OHCA every week.

There are more than 3000 cardiac arrests outside of hospital in Scotland every year, but only one in 20

of those affected will survive.

Those who live in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas are twice as likely to have a cardiac arrest out of hospital and 43 per cent less likely to survive than your counterparts in other areas of the country.

Caitrian Guthrie, Cardiac e-Resources Project Manager at CHSS said: “An OHCA can have a huge effect not only on the lives of those who survive but also on their family and friends. This resource is critical in helping people know they are not alone in their journey following an out of hospital cardiac arrest. It looks at the main issues identified as being important to people and sign-posts them to sources of information, advice and support.”

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “This is an important resource which will provide vital information, support and advice to survivors of Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest and their families.

“There is no doubt that the success of the strategy is due to the hard work of services right across Scotland and I am delighted that the funding provided by the Scottish Government is being put to such good use.”

The resource is being officially launched in Edinburgh today.

For information, visit www.lifeaftercardiacarrest.org or follow on social media using #LACA

A budding young writer from Stow has been shortlisted for a prize at this year’s Young Muslim Writers Awards.

Nine-year-old Aaliyah Mason has reached the final five in the poetry category for youngsters aged seven to 11, for her work ‘The Lake’.

The national awards recognise young literary talent in the Muslim community, and Aaliyah is the only finalist from Scotland to be invited to the awards, which will be handed out next month.

The primary five pupils Stow Primary School, has been a keen writer and reader from a young age and entered the competition for the first time this year.

Delighted with the response to her poem, she said: “It’s supposed to be about a lake and it goes to all the times of the day there from morning, middle of the day, evening and at night.

“It’s a poem that’s supposed to make a big image in your head.”
Aaliyah, will be joined by her mum Ghizala, who works as GP in Edinbugh, and dad David, a software architect from the Borders, at the award ceremony in London on Saturday, December 9.

She added: “I feel really excited. I always wanted to be successful in a writing competition and it makes me really happy. I might like to be an author.”

Her entry has been assessed by an internationally renowned panel of judges including award-winning children’s author Patrice Lawrence, director of The Royal Society of Literature, Tim Robertson and award-winning author and comic writer G Willow Wilson.

The family, which moved to Stow over a year ago, has always supported the Muslim Hands charity behind the awards, and it was an invite from that charity which prompted Aaliyah to get involved this year.

Her mum, Ghizala, added: “She has always loved writing and has a way with words.

“She has loved reading and writing from a young age and always liked the idea of entering competitions. She likes broadening her horizons.”

The Young Muslim Writers Awards, initially set up as a standalone competition for 5 – 16 year olds in 2010, has encouraged and nurtured the writing talents of thousands of children through creative writing workshops and the annual competition.

Chairman of Muslim Hands, Syed Lakhte Hassanain, said: “This year’s entries are once again remarkable! Young people of all ages from different corners of the country have taken part in the competition. The pieces written for the competition have been truly inspiring. It is amazing to see young people write so skillfully and with such creativity. As the work of young people continuously improves in its quality, it becomes more challenging for our judges to select the best pieces of work. Young people and children are incredibly talented individuals and we must support them in their development of learning, as it will help them achieve more and also thrive.

“At Muslim Hands, this is what we are motivated by – in both our international development work and in our UK community projects.”

The ceremony will be broadcast on Islam Channel, the official media partner of the Awards since 2006.

Work on the region’s first private-sector specialist residential unit for severe dementia sufferers got underway this week.

It was a milestone moment for the team working to bring Murray House, an 18-bedroom new-build development next to the Queen’s House care home in Kelso, to fruition in time for an opening this time next year.

Queen’s House board of trustees, which is leading the project, has ploughed ahead with plans, despite the project’s costs rising from an estimated £3m to an increased £4.34m total.

Trust chairman Ray Jones said: “There is a desperate need for what we are doing.

“What we have got in the Scottish Borders is, over the next 20 years 30 per cent of the population will be 60 years and above, whereas in the rest of Scotland it will only be 24 per cent.”

Since planning permission was granted in March, the build cost has increased by £500,000 while an additional £1m has been incurred in legal, surveying, grounds and architecture costs. The trust has received no funding from the Scottish Government or local authority, however, with a Royal Bank of Scotland loan for £2.1m, a Robertson Trust grant of £380,000 and a Life Changes Trust grant of £225,000 secured, it is confident the new total will be met.

“We have about a £250,000 shortfall at the moment,” Mr Jones added. “But we reckon we will have that by the time the unit is ready in November 2018.

“We will do more local fundraising once the build has started and will be going out to the businesses and the people of Kelso over the next few months.”

This week, Sir Willie Purves, ex-chairman of HSBC and a former Kelso High School pupil, was invited to cut the first sod together with Kelso High School’s head boy and girl.

Six construction companies submitted tenders for the work, with the contract going to Ayrshire-based 3B Construction who began last week, one week ahead of schedule.

“They came with a very good price and will be using a lot of local sub-contractors,” Mr Jones added.

The new unit will be built on ground alongside Queen’s House in Angraflat Road and consist of 18 large bedrooms, two common rooms, a reception, laundry, kitchen, offices, quiet room and beauty room.

Queen’s House will require 30 additional staff to run Murray House, in addition to the 65 already employed at the home.

Scottish Borders Council is expected to introduce its first simplified planning zone to the region in an effort to capitalise on the revival of the Borders Railway.

Councillors are being asked to introduce the scheme, which would effectively relax planning legislation, to make it easier for businesses to set up home in the Central Borders Business Park at Tweedbank.

The move could pave the way for new retail outlets, offices and accommodation to move into the park without the need for planning permission.

If the plans are approved by the local authority tomorrow, SBC will become only the second Scottish local authority to have put a simplified planning zone (SPZ) in place for more than 20 years.

Within the zone the need to apply for planning permission for certain types of development would be removed, so long as the development complies with the details and guidance set out in the scheme, the idea being that this cuts out the need for repetitive planning applications, saving time and money for the existing organisations and new businesses looking to invest in the park.

Under the proposals parts of the business park will be open to development by hotels or businesses while others will be available as retail outlets.

Planning officer Karen Ruthven said: “The arrival of the Borders Railway offers a significant opportunity to create a high quality business park which both capitalises on the railway terminal and provides a supply of high quality business and industrial land for the Central Borders.

“The savings in terms of time, money and effort in considering these changes and the certainty offered by the SPZ status will help promote the Central Borders Business Park as a location to invest.”

If approved by the council, the simplified planning zone will be advertised and referred to Scottish Ministers.

The vision for the new business park at Tweedbank was first unveiled in 2014 by Alex Salmond, then First Minister, as part of a Blueprint for the Borders aimed at capitalising on the revival of the Borders Railway.

The early draft plans for the new Central Borders Business Park were discussed at length almost a year ago by the planning committee, and after a public consultation, have returned to councillors, recommended for approval by officers.

Children in Galashiels received an early Christmas present this week with news that a town playpark was to undergo a near £300,000 revamp.

The improved facilities in the Public Park will be on a par with new playparks in Tweedbank and Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick, which have proved popular with the community.

The upgraded playpark will include dedicated areas for children up to six years of age and for older children, both including a number of new items of equipment not available elsewhere in Scotland, including a special play train.

The park, which will be on the site of the current Public Park play equipment and will be enclosed by fencing, will include wet pour rubber safety surfacing throughout and specific facilities for children with additional needs.

Work is likely to start in March 2018, with a grand opening party planned for June, so the park is ready for the school summer holidays.

A joint statement by Galashiels and District councillors Sandy Aitchison, Andy Anderson, Euan Jardine and Harry Scott said: “We are delighted to be able to unveil the exciting plans for the new play area in the Public Park.

“The new design provides more equipment than is currently available in the park, will have quality safety surfacing and will be fully fenced in.

“The scheme will provide Galashiels with an excellent new facility and will be enjoyed by children for many years to come.”

A carer caught on camera stealing money from the handbag of the elderly woman she was looking after will be sentenced next month.

Relatives of the frail OAP suspected cash was going missing during visits to her sheltered housing home in Melrose.

They set up the cameras and caught on film 40-year-old Hellen Johnson going into the woman’s bag and removing £35.

Police were called and as officers viewed the CCTV evidence in another room, the cash turned up underneath a table where the bag had been sitting.

The officers insisted the money was not on the floor when they first arrived at the property.

At a trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court (pictured), prosecutor Tessa Bradley told Johnson: “You tried to get away with it by dropping it on the floor when the police had their backs turned.”

When she was first quizzed by police, Johnson said she had never gone into the handbag and had no reason to. But when confronted with the CCTV evidence, she said she had gone into the handbag to find a key to lock her client’s door.

Johnson – who lives at Fairnington Cottages, Kelso, and who also works as a psychiatric nurse with the National Health Service in Glasgow – said she suffered from mental health problems and was adamant she had not taken the £35, despite the CCTV evidence.

But Sheriff Derrick McIntyre found her guilty of stealing the money from the property in Priorwood Court on January 19.

Background reports prepared did not contain any sentencing recommendations, so the case was continued until December 5.

MAN ASSAULTED HIS SISTER

Jail sentences totalling almost 16 months have been imposed on a Galashiels man at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Twenty-three-year-old Michael Brown was imprisoned for nine months for committing three offences, including assaulting his sister at a house in Larch Grove, Galashiels, and then being involved in a violent confrontation with police officers at Borders General Hospital.

After being sentenced he was brought back to court the following day and was given another 189 days. This time it was for behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, and breaking the window of a house in Scott Street, Galashiels, on June 4.

Brown had initially denied the June offences, but changed his plea to guilty when footage from a neighbour’s mobile phone was shown to the court of him threatening to stab a male inside the property and breaking the window.

Lawyer Mat Patrick said his client had initially denied the offences as he could remember little about the incident, but changed his plea on viewing the video.

He added that Brown had claimed he was assaulted twice previously by the man inside the property who was well known to the court with 27 pages of previous convictions.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre ordered that the 189-day sentence should run consecutively with the nine months he had imposed the previous day.

HEROIN FOUND IN CARAVAN

A Galashiels man who was in possession of almost £5000 worth of heroin has been jailed for almost 10 months at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Samuel Wightman (51), admitted possession of the class A drug with intent to supply.

The court heard how police obtained information about heroin being in Galashiels and went to an insecure caravan in the Langlee Road area of the town in June last year. Discovered in a light fitting was 49 grammes of heroin with a street value of £4900.

The caravan owner – who has since died – denied any knowledge of the drugs and it emerged Wightman used the vehicle for storing tools.

Ed Hulme, defending, accepted it was a large quantity of drugs, but claimed it was only a technical breach of the supply charge. He insisted Wightman had entered into a mutual arrangement with a friend – not the caravan owner – to buy the drugs in bulk to supply each other, saying it made “financial sense” as they both smoked heroin.

Mr Hulme pointed out that his client did not have any drug-related previous convictions.

Wightman, of Glendinning Terrace, had his jail sentence reduced from 12 months to 293 days due to his guilty plea.

DRIVER DENIES BEING CARELESS

A motorist will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on a careless driving charge.

Stuart Fraser, (49), of Oakbank Place, Winchburgh, is alleged to have persistently driven at excessive speed, overtaken when unsafe to do so and driven close to a marked fire and rescue emergency driver-training vehicle.

The offence is said to have been committed on the A697 road near Lauder on February 16.

SENTENCING DATE FOR STALKER

A Galashiels man will be sentenced at Selkirk Sheriff Court in the New Year for a stalking offence.

Paul Gallagher pleaded guilty to engaging in a course of conduct likely to cause his former partner fear and alarm. This involved repeatedly contacting her when he knew she did not wish him to, waiting outside her Galashiels home and observing her movements, as well as entering her house without permission.

The offence happened on several occasions between April 1 and May 14.

Background reports have been ordered on Gallagher (32), of Scott Street, for the sentencing date of January 3.

CURFEW CASE NOT PROVEN

A Walkerburn man accused of breaching his night-time home curfew had the case against him found not proven at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Harrison Long (26), said he took medication for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and was asleep when police officers called at his Hall Street home on three consecutive days last month around 11pm.

His curfew stated he should be in his property between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

DENIES SPITTING IN OFFICER’S FACE

A Galashiels accused admitted smashing the windows of a neighbouring house and making threats towards a man before being involved in a six-hour stand-off with police.

Simon Hadden (39), previously pleaded guilty to three offences, but denied a fourth charge of spitting in the face of a police sergeant.

Hadden admitted breaking two windows at a house in Hawthorn Road in September and behaving in an aggressive manner, shouting and swearing, and making threats towards John Tunnicliffe. He also behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, was shouting and swearing towards police and others, repeatedly uttering threats towards police and refusing to come out of his house when requested to do so by the police.

Sentence was deferred until the outcome of the trial on the spitting assault charge which will take place on February 13.

REMANDED IN CUSTODY

A Peebles man appeared in private at Selkirk Sheriff Court accused of two offences.

Michael Snodgrass (35), is charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

The offences are alleged to have occurred in Peebles last week.

Snodgrass made no plea and the case was continued for further examination. Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody.

FALSE JAIL CLAIM MAN LOCKED UP

A man has been remanded in custody after falsely claiming he was unable to appear in court because he was in jail at the time.

Paul Millar was charged with failing to show at Jedburgh Sheriff Court without reasonable excuse earlier this month.

When he was arrested on a warrant and appeared from custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court, he explained he had been unable to turn up previously because he was locked up in Durham Prison at the time.

The 57-year-old was detained overnight as court officials checked out his story with jail chiefs. Millar appeared in court the following morning when it was revealed that he was released from Durham Prison on Friday, November 10, so he should have been in court on Monday, November 13.

Defending, Mat Patrick said his client had mixed up the dates. He said it would have been pointless to mislead the court “for something that could so easily be checked out”.

Millar changed his plea to guilty for failing to appear in court on November 13. But he denied removing four alloy wheels from a vehicle parked in Edinburgh Road, Jedburgh, on October 15.

A trial date was fixed for December 28 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 14. Millar, of Spencer Street, Carlisle, was remanded in custody until then.

OAP’S TRIAL ADJOURNED

The trial of a Selkirk pensioner accused of three offences has been adjourned until December 14 due to a lack of time at the town’s sheriff court.

The case of Nicholas Weeks (65), of Newburgh Farm Estate, was due to call last Thursday.

He is charged with engaging in a course of conduct likely to cause fear and alarm towards his wife by texting her repeatedly and threatening to have her visa removed and benefits stopped. He also denies threatening or abusive behaviour towards her and assaulting a young child .

The alleged offences date back to January and February 2016.

BAIL ORDER BREACH TRIAL

A Galashiels woman is facing trial.

Charley Brown (23), of Croft Street, denies breaching a bail order preventing her from approaching or contacting Logan MacKenzie, and failing to remain at her curfew address after 7pm on October 22.

A trial date was set for February 27 at Selkirk Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on January 29.

LEG WAS BROKEN DURING STRUGGLE

A 24-year-old man involved in a struggle in Galashiels town centre which resulted in his friend breaking his leg has been ordered to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Greg Stewart pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in Lawyers Brae, Galashiels, on July 8.

His lawyer said the pair had known each other all their lives and too much alcohol had been consumed. He added that his client did not set out to break his friend’s leg, but accepted his behaviour was reckless.

In addition to the unpaid work, Stewart, of Adersier, near Inverness, was ordered to pay £800 compensation to the leg-break victim.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre told Stewart if it had been a stranger involved in the incident he would be going straight to prison. He said the sentences imposed were an alternative to custody.

CRASHED INTO PARKED CARS

A Heiton motorist who collided with three parked cars while more than three times the legal alcohol limit was banned from driving for 14 months at Jedburgh Sheriff Court this week.

Steven Jack – groundsman at the Border Union Showground in Kelso – was returning from a night out when the accident happened in the town’s East Bowmont Street on October 21.

The 29-year-old, of Ladyrigg Farm Cottages, pleaded guilty to driving with a breath/alcohol count of 68 microgrammes – the legal limit is 22.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said Jack had been driving a four-wheel drive vehicle and had lost control, colliding with three cars at around 11.50pm. He said he had tried to contact the owners and was traced a short time later.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said his client had been at a function at Kelso Rugby Club, but had been set upon by another person who had been ejected from the club for inappropriate behaviour.

He went on: “He had intended to get a taxi, but after the scuffle he just wanted out of there and decided to drive. He had four pints during the course of the day and thought he would be okay, but he has misjudged it.”

The court agreed with Mr Patrick’s recommendation that his client be placed on the drink-drivers’ rehabilitation course which offers a 25 per cent discount on the length of the ban if completed at the offender’s expense.

Jack was also fined £300.

DRINK-DRIVE SOLDIER BANNED

An army sergeant who was more than four times the legal alcohol limit when stopped on the A68 in Jedburgh was this week banned from the road for 16 months at the town’s sheriff court.

Duncan Collins, 29 – who serves with the First Regiment Royal Horse Artillery based in Newcastle – pleaded guilty to the offence which happened during the early hours of November 7.

The court heard he had been drinking while visiting family in Edinburgh, but felt he was fit to drive after waiting several hours.

But police noticed he was driving slowly and weaving in and out of a lane as he drove through Jedburgh. Collins was breathalysed and found to have a breath/alcohol count of 90 microgrammes – the legal limit being 22.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said his client could face a reduction in rank as a result of the conviction.

As well as the disqualification, Collins was fined £400.

DANGEROUS DRIVING CHARGE

A motorist has been accused of dangerous driving on the A68 at Oxton.

Scott Brown, 43, is alleged to have clipped cones marking the edge of roadworks where people were employed and veering towards the works, causing them to take evasive action to avoid being struck by his vehicle or the cones that had been dislodged.

Brown, of Windsor Avenue, Falkirk, pleaded not guilty to the offence which is said to have happened on February 2.

A trial date has been set for February 13 at Selkirk Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on January 15.

PUNCHED BUS WINDOW

Background reports have been ordered into a Hawick man who smashed the window of a X95 bus while he was on board by punching it.

James Jackson, 27, of Havelock Place, also pleaded guilty to being in possession of a knife in Stirling Street, Galashiels, on February 3.

He will be sentenced at Selkirk Sheriff Court on December 18.

BREATH-TEST TRIAL FOR OAP

A pensioner has been accused of three motoring offences at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Ray Haynes is said to have failed to co-operate with a breath test at Eildon Holiday Cottage at Dingleton Mains, Melrose, on August 27 and also failed to tell police who the driver of his vehicle was.

He also denies failing to give two specimens of breath at Galashiels police station.

The 65-year-old, of Betley Road, Stockport, will stand trial on January 16, with an intermediate hearing on December 18.

CANNABIS DEALER JAILED

A Peebles drug dealer has been jailed for four months at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Kevin Robertson, 30, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis at his North Street home between August and September last year.

The court was told that the cannabis and cannabis resin had a potential value of more than £1,500 if broken up into deals.

STUDENT DENIES DRUGS CHARGE

A student accused of possessing class A drugs in Melrose will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on February 13.

Duncan McClements, 24, formerly of Newtown St Boswells and now living in Glasgow, denies being in possession of cocaine and ecstasy in Eastport on April 8.

A pre-trial hearing will take place on January 15.

SEX ASSAULT ALLEGATION

A Selkirk man will stand trial at the town’s sheriff court on February 13 accused of sexually assaulting a female.

Simon McIntosh, 31, of Leslie Place, denies striking her on the buttocks with his hand and intentionally sending her a sexually-verbal communication.

The offence is alleged to have been committed at Gaitschaw Lane in Selkirk on March 5.

ROW OVER VAN DOOR LED TO JAIL

A Galashiels teenager who admitted committing two offences while carrying out his community service has been sentenced to four months’ custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

David Scougall, 19, of Gala Park Court, turned up shortly after 8am on November 1 to get a lift to carry out his unpaid work. But a row developed with another man who was also carrying out his community service.

Scougall admitted violently struggling with others in Channel Street, Galashiels, on November 1.

He also pleaded guilty to damaging a motor van by punching the wing mirror.

The court was told that Scougall was getting picked up for his unpaid work in respect of a community payback order. But as he closed the door of the van he caused it to strike a fellow worker, cutting his head, and an argument developed.

Scougall claimed he was then punched in the face which caused him to lose his temper and the struggle developed.

The four-month sentence was backdated to earlier this month when he was first remanded in custody.

TSB Castle Douglas has given Dalbeattie & District Community Day Centre for Older People £100 to help with the cost of their Christmas celebrations.

The donation is part of a nationwide Christmas donation programme by TSB, which is giving every one of its branches money to gift to a local cause, as a little extra support at this time of year.

TSB has given more than £1.7 million to local causes across Britain since its local charity partnerships launched in 2015.

Charlene Kirk, Centre Manager, Dalbeattie & District Community Day Centre for Older People, says: “With Christmas approaching, TSB’s donation of £100 will be very much appreciated and will go towards Christmas presents for our members.”

A 27-year-old man has been reported to the Procurator Fiscal in connection with a series of housebreakings in the Galashiels area.

The incidents occurred during the last week of August and first week of September in the Halliburton and Langlee areas of the town where cash and electrical items were stolen from five houses.

The man will appear in court at a later date.

Community Inspector Tony Hodges said: “The negative impact of having your house broken into cannot be underestimated.

“I would like to thank the local community who assisted our investigation with valuable information.”

Fed-up residents in a Hawick street are being forced to switch their lights on in the morning because overhanging trees are leaving their homes in semi-darkness, it has emerged.

Residents in Borthaugh Road say that fir trees across from their homes are blocking out natural light to their properties.

Now some are demanding their ‘right to light’ and want Scottish Borders Housing Association (SBHA), which owns a number of the properties in the street, to contribute to their electricity bills as way of compensation.

A spokesman for SBHA said the trees in question are healthy and there were no current plans to carry out any work to them, although residents with safety concerns over individual trees are welcome to get in touch.

Councillor Davie Paterson, independent for Hawick and Hermitage, has taken up the residents’ case.

He said: “I have been approached by several constituents in the Borthaugh Road area who are having to put their lights on early in the morning and early in the afternoon. It’s pitch black in their homes, even on summer mornings.

“One elderly constituent was asking me if Scottish Borders Housing Association would contribute towards their lighting bills, they shouldn’t have to put their lights on when it is a bright summer morning.

“I realise that it was probably a planning condition but I think everyone in the Borthaugh Road area is of the opinion that this has got way out of control. I have written to the housing association asking them if they could please help out my constituents.”

Resident Bruce Lindsay, who has lived in the street for 35 years, described the situation as a “nightmare”.

He added: “The fir trees were here when we moved in but recently they have grown so big that it has become a nightmare.

“It seems they provide a screen for the private behind them but they block out the light to our homes.

“We don’t get any sunshine and we can’t open our windows because the flies and beasties get in. They have never been cut or maintained.

“We’re not asking they are chopped down, just cut back to allow us some light in our homes.

“One of the problems is identifying who has responsibility for maintaining the trees. There are a number of housing association properties in the street and others, like our own, who have bought their homes under Maggie Thatcher’s ‘right to buy’ policy. We just seem to go from pillar to post.”

A spokesperson for Scottish Borders Housing Association said: “SBHA recently completed a survey of all 3,000 trees on our land across the Borders and these have been tagged and numbered.

“This resulted in two tender packages being put in place for works on around 200 trees.

“The first of these was for trees which required urgent works to be carried out on them, and a second package was for non-urgent works. Works on both of these packages have now been completed.

“SBHA has invested a significant proportion of this year’s budget in this tree survey and subsequent work packages, and going forward, SBHA will manage its trees on a cyclical basis to ensure all are safe and not causing damage to any infrastructure.

“Currently there are no plans to carry out any works on the trees at Borthaugh Road, which have been assessed and are healthy, but if SBHA tenants are concerned about a tree for reasons of safety, each one has a tag number and if they report their concern to us along with the tag number, we will take appropriate action to resolve the situation.”

A Galashiels accused admitted smashing the windows of a neighbouring house and making threats towards a man before being involved in a six-hour stand-off with police.

Simon Hadden (39), previously pleaded guilty to three offences, but denied a fourth charge of spitting in the face of a police sergeant.

Hadden admitted breaking two windows at a house in Hawthorn Road in September and behaving in an aggressive manner, shouting and swearing, and making threats towards John Tunnicliffe.

He also behaved in a threatening or abusive manner, was shouting and swearing towards police and others, repeatedly uttering threats towards police and refusing to come out of his house when requested to do so by the police.

Sentence was deferred until the outcome of the trial on the spitting assault charge which will take place on February 13.

Tourism in the Borders could receive a massive boost if a new £11.3m eco-friendly development near Peebles gets the green light.

Planning applications for 56 secluded eco-cabins and 16km of new trails at Glentress Forest have now been submitted to Scottish Borders Council.

The proposed tourism development is being managed by a partnership between Forest Enterprise Scotland and Forest Holidays.

Forest Holidays will provide private sector investment of £10m with the remaining £1.3m from Forest Enterprise Scotland, which will focus on new recreation facilities.

The investment has the potential of generating an extra £1 million for the local economy each year and employment for up to 60 people.

Sallie Bailey, forest district manager for Forest Enterprise Scotland, said: “Forest tourism in the Borders is certainly in the spotlight. The recent forest tourism summit was an important first step in bringing public and private tourism interests together to seek new opportunities to grow this sector.

“Forest Enterprise Scotland is contributing to this on a number of fronts. The cabins and new trail proposals would be another great asset for the Tweed Valley and south of Scotland.

“We’d like to thank everyone who took part in our consultation drop-in events and completed our online questionnaires. The feedback was greatly appreciated and helped shape the final proposals that we put forward.”

The combined attractions are part of the award winning Glentress Masterplan project which was adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance and widely consulted on for the last two years.

Under the proposals, a new mountain bike skills area will be built along with a number of new biking taster trails for all levels.

The new trails will incorporate elements of the ‘Freeride’ area, as well as a new route for walkers.

All the new trails will be situated around the Glentress Peel development at Castle Hill.

These new facilities will replace the existing skills and freeride areas at Buzzard’s nest, where the cabin development is planned to be situated.

Forest Holidays is taking forward the new eco-cabin development which would be sensitively blended into the forest’s surroundings.

A decision on the planning applications is expected in the Spring 2018.

Borders College catering and gamekeeping students were victorious in a Field to Fork ‘Celebration of Game’ challenge hosted by MasterChef finalist Lorna Robertson.

Billy Brogan (Coldstream) teamed up with Finlay Knox (Kelso) to bag first prize in the competition which involved 12 students from catering and gamekeeping courses at Borders College, SRUC Elmwood and North Highland College UHI working in pairs over the preceding months to learn about each other’s industry before producing and serving dishes of their own design, in celebration of game and fresh local produce.

Each finalist’s starter was served in a ‘trio of finalists’ dish, including suet crust game pie, grouse and loin of rabbit. Tables were dressed with creative reference to gamekeeping with polished shotgun handles holding the table numbers, adorned by upcycled used shotgun cartridges fashioned into decorative lights – all created by gamekeeping programme leader Andy Winwood.

Recipe cards were also produced in collaboration with Borders College graphic design students.

Having worked with game as an ingredient throughout MasterChef and using it in her own cooking, former Southern Reporter journalist Lorna knows a great game dish when she tastes one ... and she also empathised with the finalists, following her own experience of being judged in a cooking contest, saying: “I just wanted everyone to do well!”

Lorna’s fellow judges, Nicolle Hamilton, Pete Moore and Catriona Frankitti (Innes Ross) agreed that the standard of work from each college was excellent across all aspects, not just the food presented.

Pete explained that 2017 marks the penultimate year of the Field to Fork project, linking the Year of Food and Drink (2015) with the Year of Young People (2018) and culminating in a special dinner to be held at the Scottish Parliament in 2018.

Summing up the ethos of Field to Fork, Catriona said: “This competition has encouraged real inter-disciplinary working between curricular departments including gamekeeping, catering and horticulture, and the presentations delivered by the Borders College students were so good they could be lifted straight into an educational setting.”

Field to Fork 2017 winner, catering student Billy said: “Winning hasn’t really sunk in yet but we’re both really pleased.”

The SNP has hit back at claims that the ‘dithering and delay’ of the Scottish Government has left the Borders behind in superfast broadband.

Borders MP John Lamont called for the UK government to work directly with councils rather than deal with Holyrood, after meeting with the Westminster minister for digital, Matt Hancock MP, at the home of John Williams, a constituent who lives near Heriot.

Mr Lamont said: “We need to act to bridge the broadband gap between urban and rural Scotland, the broadband haves and broadband have nots.

“The current model is failing. BT have ignored the harder to get to residents and communities because they knew that it would be too costly. Rural parts of Scotland have been let down by the Scottish Government’s dithering and delay and we are still far behind the rest of the UK in terms of broadband delivery.

“I’m therefore pleased the UK Government agree with my suggestion that they work directly with local authorities for the next phase of superfast broadband delivery.

Mr Lamont claimed that figures from Ofcom show that in rural areas of Scotland only 46 per cent of properties have access to superfast broadband, worse than rural Wales (57 per cent), rural Northern Ireland (52 per cent) and rural England (62 per cent).

And Mr Hancock accused the Scottish Government of “sitting on” UK Government funding and announced the UK Government will work directly with local authorities in future.

However, their claims about the figures were hotly contested by local SNP MSP Paul Wheelhouse.

He said: “This is a vitally important issue and the people of the Borders deserve the facts – not Tory spin.

“Eighty per cent of premises in the Borders are connected to fibre broadband. Without the Scottish Government’s efforts, the figure would be only 39 per cent.

“The claims made by the Tories about Scotland’s performance are inaccurate and the industry regulator, Ofcom, recognises that fact.

“There’s more work to do, but our £400 million Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme is benefiting the Borders and the whole of the south of the country.

“Without it, some rural areas would have very poor coverage or none at all – a fact the Tories have conveniently overlooked. The Conservatives should be thanking the Scottish Government for saving them from the embarrassment of failing to deliver superfast broadband for the people of the Borders.”

No fewer than six Borders trainers have horses qualified for finals day of the inaugural £125,000 Northern Lights race series at Carlisle this coming Sunday.

A six-figure prize pot is up for grabs with plenty of local interest in the series which is designed to promote jump racing in the north and provide greater opportunities for owners and trainers.

Donald Whillans (Hawick) has four qualifiers with brother Alister (Hawick), Sandy Thomson (Kelso) with three potential runners. Stuart Coltherd (Selkirk) has two while James Ewart (Langholm) and Raymond Shiels (Jedburgh) have one apiece. Each of the five finals at Carlisle – aimed at mid-tier jump horses – carries prize money of £25,000 and follows 75 qualifying races held exclusively at northern racecourses.

Ahead of entries being announced, Kinross-based Grand National winner Lucinda Russell leads the list of 11 Scottish trainers, with eight horses qualified and available to enter.

Asked about the Northern Lights Series, Russell said: “We always had our eye on it and I think it’s fantastic for mid-range horses. I think what’s great with the Northern Lights is it gives those horses a chance.”

Hot on the heels of Russell is Fife’s Nick Alexander who has six qualifiers. He described the Northern Lights as a “fantastic” initiative when it was launched earlier this year.

Other Scottish trainers involved are Iain Jardine (Dumfries), Mike Smith (East Ayrshire) and Jim Goldie (East Renfrewshire).

The five finals day races are a 3m handicap chase, 2½m handicap chase, 2m handicap hurdle, 3m handicap hurdle and 2½m mares handicap hurdle. To qualify horses were required to have started in at least two series qualifiers and be placed in the first eight at least once.

Tickets for the Northern Lights Series Final – which will include plenty of fun activities alongside the track for all the family – are £14 in advance (£17 on the day).

It is free admission for all-under-18s when accompanied by a full-paying adult. Gates open at 10.20am. First race is 12.20pm. Last race is 3.30pm.

From a scallop diver in Mull to parkour athletes in Edinburgh, Harry Potter fans to an Outlander herbalist, Scottish locals are bringing the country to life in a unique new social media campaign.

The ambitious global campaign, which will run for the next 18 months, will involve up to 25 global vloggers and Instagrammers matched with a diverse range of local people across Scotland with interesting jobs, hobbies or skills.

In this unique way, the social media influencers will be able to gain a true insight into what it is really like to live, work, study and play in Scotland and communicate this to inspire their audiences in their millions to discover the country for themselves.

The VisitScotland campaign, ‘Scotland: Life’, launched officially with the release of a film by the popular US YouTube channel DevinSupertramp. The American videographers were paired with four extreme athletes includ - parkour stars Robbie Griffith and Johnstone Macpherson Stewart and street trial bike riders Duncan Shaw and Ali Clarkson - to create a fast-paced film showcasing parkour and street trial bike stunts in Edinburgh.

The video has been a hit with a reach of over seven million already across Facebook and YouTube with many admiring the city being showcased through the eyes of the athletes.

Each social media influencer spends 1 or 2 days with their Scottish local and is encouraged to shadow them in their activities. For the rest of their time in Scotland, they will complete an itinerary associated with their interests in different regions across the country.

Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland chief executive, said: “Our campaign has been one of our most successful to date with millions of people embracing the hashtag and content we have created globally and understanding the true meaning of what the spirit of Scotland is – whether it is felt through experiencing our landscapes, meeting our people or visiting any of our amazing and unique events and attractions.

Further information about the project can be found at http://go.visit.sc/ScotlandLife More can be found on social media by using the hashtag #ScotLife and #ScotSpirit

The sharp actions of bank staff in Peebles thwarted the nefarious attempts of three bogus workmen to bully an Innerleithen pensioner out of a large sum of money.

Police are appealing for the public’s help as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident, which took place at around 1.30pm yesterday (Wednesday, November 29) when three men attended a house in Innerleithen, claiming that the property required extensive repairs to the roof and guttering.

They quoted the resident, a woman in her 70s, a four-figure sum, then offered her a discount to go ahead with the sale before demanding the money upfront.

She has handed over a three-figure sum of cash and the crooks offered to drive her to the bank to withdraw the rest of the money.

The woman attended the bank in Peebles herself to withdraw this, at which point staff became concerned and contacted police.

The first suspect is described as being around 30 years old, of heavier build, with dark hair, a beard/facial hair and was wearing dark clothing.

The second suspect is described as around 30 years old, 5ft 10ins tall, slim but well-built, with black wavy hair, and wearing a black jacket and black overalls with orange detail on the bottom of each leg.

The third suspect is described as in his thirties, 5ft 10ins to 6ft tall, with fair hair, and was wearing a green body warmer.

They are believed to have been travelling in a blue transit-type flatbed truck which had no front number plate, an aluminium roof ladder which was angled over the cab and a yellow band on the flatbed.

Community Inspector Tony Hodges said: “This was a despicable incident which saw three men try to intimidate a woman into handing over her money for bogus repairs.

“Thanks to the bank’s vigilance, these men were unable to get any further money, however, our enquiries continue to identify them and we’re appealing for anyone who may have seem them in the area, or who recognises their descriptions or that of the vehicle, to come forward.

“As always, we’d continue to urge people to be vigilant with unexpected callers. Never accept an offer made by a workman who attends your property unexpectedly and call Police Scotland on 101 to report suspicious behaviour.”

Those with information about this incident are asked to contact Galashiels CID via 101, quoting incident number 1845 of November 29, or report this anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A 20-year-old man who was armed with a knife and a machete in Selkirk town centre and told passers-by there was going to be a bloodbath has been jailed for more than a year at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Twenty-year-old Phillip McMillan – who told police he was “off my nut on valium” – was involved in a late night altercation with four youths in High Street, Selkirk, on the night of February 3.

He later alarmed two females who were sitting outside the Post Office by waving the machete and knife in the air saying: “There is going to be a bloodbath.”

McMillan then struck the wall with one of the weapons close to one of the female’s head.

The court was told police arrived on the scene and found McMillan underneath a car in the Sainsbury’s car park with the weapons lying discarded on the ground.

He was abusive to police officers, saying he would hunt them down on their day off and kill them.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said McMillan, formerly of Back Row, Selkirk, had consumed three bottles of Buckfast along with blue tablets.

McMillan pleaded guilty to charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and possession of bladed articles in public, as well as various breaches of bail.

McMillan told police he was a Traveller and that he was not going to use the weapons adding: “I was just off my nut on valium.”

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said his client had little recollection of the events on the day in February.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said there was no alternative to a custodial sentence, highlighting the combination of possession of weapons, along with McMillan’s state of intoxication through drink and drugs.

He imposed jail sentences totalling 388 days back-dated to November 13 when he was remanded in custody.