The A68 Jedburgh to Newcastle road is closed in both directions following a serious road traffic collision near Glendouglas.

The road was closed around 5.45pm this evening, and is expected to remain shut between Jedburgh and Carter Bar for some time.

Diversions are in place via Oxnam and the Bairnkine.

Traffic Scotland has described the accident as serious and are urging drivers to avoid the area if possible.

A Hawick hardware store has bounced back from being on the brink of closure to taking on more staff as it looks to the future it didn’t think it would get to see.

It was with a heavy heart that company boss Brian Ferguson announced in May that there was no alternative but to shut Wright’s Home Hardware shop in Sandbed this summer.

The shop has been a retail stalwart in the town since it opened back in 1983, so when word spread of the store’s closure plans, it prompted an extraordinary public response.

Mr Ferguson said that on hearing the news the “wonderful of people of Hawick” began to offer their support in their droves, leading to a 40% increase in year-on-year sales for May.

That support has led to the shop’s closure plan being reversed, and it will now stay open until at least the end of the year, with hopes high that its long-term future can be secured.

New promotions and products and a 10%-off loyalty card are being planned.

The shop will retain a staff of six, made up of three full-timers and three part-timers.

Though two of the former are leaving, a recruitment drive has been launched to replace them.

Mr Ferguson said: “It has given us renewed hope that we can turn things around and try to keep the shop open for as long as we can.

“We have been overwhelmed by the kind messages we have received from our customers and saddened by the many locals who have told us how much they are going to miss us being in the town.

“Many locals rely on our free local delivery service for orders over £25 for heavy items such as compost and garden machinery in the spring and summer and coal, logs and heaters in the winter months, a service not offered by many of the bigger retailers or at a high cost.

“We have decided to keep the shop open until the end of the year at the very least to see if, with the continued support of the local community, we can turn things around on a more permanent basis and hopefully keep the shop going for a lot longer.”

Mr Ferguson revealed that the original closure decision came after the outlet’s rates had increased by 17.6% in the last couple of years.

He said: “That has had a big impact on our profitability. We currently have a rates appeal in with the council, but we are yet to hear anything back regarding that. However, we have had discussions with councillors and Business Gateway to see if there is any help they can give us, and things sound promising that there may be some support to help us survive.

“In order to give this our best shot and opportunity for success, we are going to have to make some changes to the day-to-day running of the shop which will hopefully secure the jobs of our great staff members who have been so wonderful during this tough time.

“We will now be closing at 5pm rather than 5.30pm as the shop is very quiet between these times, with effect from August 1.

“We have also restructured our weekly staff rota, and I’m delighted to say that all of our part-time staff have agreed to the new rota and are happy with their new hours.

“Our manager and assistant manager, however, have decided to take their redundancy package to pursue other avenues.

“We will have two management positions available, so if you are interested in a new challenge and have retail experience please follow us on Facebook @wrightshhhawick, where these vacancies are currently being advertised.

“We will also be running some new initiatives to try and bring new customers though our doors and to offer even more value and services to our wonderful regular customers.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful Hawick community for giving our family-run business such wonderful support at this tough time and since we opened in the town in 1983.

“Wright’s Home Hardware has 10 stores. The first opened in Prestwick in 1947 and the latest opened in Largs in 2016.

“We have never had to close a store, and we really hope Hawick is not the first.”

It’s full steam ahead for a rail campaigner making a near-900 mile journey from John o’Groats in Caithness to Land’s End in Cornwall to mark the half-century since the closure of the Waverley Route was officially announced.

On July 15, 1968, then transport minister Richard Marsh made a statement to the House of Commons confirming the imminent demise of the Edinburgh-Carlisle line.

And 50 years on to the day, stalwart rail campaigner Kim Elliot, 60, of Hawick, will be undertaking an epic journey of commemoration.

There will be particular poignancy as he travels the length of the country by foot and rail, including the longest cross-border service in the UK, from Aberdeen to Penzance.

Kim’s mother Madge fought vigorously but in vain to save the Waverley Route before it closed on January 6, 1969.

Madge, 90, also from Hawick, now suffers Alzheimer’s disease, and Kim will be raising funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK, as well as raising the profile of the Campaign for Borders Rail and its drive for the reinstatement of the railway through his home town.

Kim is negotiating the journey in four stages, starting off by walking from John o’Groats to Thurso on Saturday, July 14, then taking a train from Thurso to Aberdeen via Inverness on Sunday, July 15.

He will then undertake the UK’s longest continuous train journey on Monday, July 16, before walking from Penzance to Land’s End on Tuesday, July 17.

Five months after the original closure announcement in 1968, Kim, then 10, accompanied his mother to London to deliver a petition to 10 Downing Street demanding the route be given a reprieve.

Lifelong rail enthusiast Kim said: “The idea came to me last year when it was my 60th birthday, but I ended up celebrating by going to Switzerland and spending 11 days on the railways there.

“Then I realised that the 50th anniversary was coming up this year, and it seemed to be perfect timing to do it in July. I have been involved with the Campaign for Borders Rail since 1998, and this is a chance to raise its profile.

“I’ll also be raising funds for research into Alzheimer’s. It’s not going to benefit mum, but I’ve seen the impact it has, not just on the person themselves but on their families.”

The Queen officially reopened part of the old railway line between Edinburgh and Tweedbank in September 2015, and campaigners are pushing for it to be extended.

Now, approaching the semi-centennial anniversary of the longest single closure of the so-called Beeching Axe, the message from the Campaign for Borders Rail is that the prospect of the Waverley Route making a comeback is closer than ever.

“Where we stand now is that rail is firmly on the agenda for the Borders,” said Simon Walton, the campaign’s chairman.

“There are options to be considered, and it’s my firm belief that we are closer than ever to achieving our goal of relieving the economic blight inflicted on Borders communities over the last 50 years.

“Kim Elliot’s journey is a prime example of the way railways connect communities, and his lifelong commitment makes us all proud to count him among our number.”

To support Kim’s fundraising efforts, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JohnElliot2
Madge is still keeping up her calls to have the Waverley Route reinstated in full ...

www.hawick-news.co.uk/news/campaigner-madge-keeping-up-calls-to-get-hawick-back-on-track-1-4384030

Two teenage terrors caught on camera in an apparent bid to break into a Hawick shop have been shamed, if not named, on Facebook.

Closed-circuit TV footage from Kat’s Corner Shop in Myreslaw Green captured two youngsters seemingly staking out the premises at 4am last Wednesday.

The boys fled after one had clambered up to look through a window as the other acted as a lookout.

However, they proceeded to kick and smash to pieces a recycling box outside the shop, with their noisy antics and foul language waking up a large part of the neighbourhood.

Shopkeeper Katrina Yule knows the names of the two local lads, both in their mid-teens, but has chosen not to report the incident to the police and is keeping their identities secret.

However, she has taken her own revenge by posting a still from the video footage on her Facebook site, disguising the face of the boy gazing into the shop window with, appropriately, a clown’s face.

Ironically, the posting of the message on the social media site was forecast by the boy’s accomplice, who can be heard on the audio from the video saying: “Kat’s going to put this on Facebook.”

Indeed, the same youngster had the nerve to walk into Katrina’s newsagents shop the next day and beg her to tell his mother a lie to protect him.

Katrina, 28, said: “He came in and asked me to tell his mother that he was only trying to get an energy drink – at four o’clock in the morning!”

The shop owner is no stranger to confrontation.

Almost two years ago, she managed to wrestle a golf club and a knife from an assailant attempting to raid her shop while under the influence of drugs – a terrifying incident also captured on CCTV footage.

That attack led her to bolster security at her premises.

She said: “I know who these two boys are, but I have chosen not to report it to the police because their hands are tied as they didn’t actually break in, but I wanted to let their parents know what they were up to, and that’s why I put it on Facebook. They should know there are consequences to their actions.

“These boys currently don’t care about the consequences of their actions. They have no discipline. There are pregnant women and babies in the street who were woken up by the racket they caused.

“They may think they are just being daft, but this has a detrimental impact on people’s lives.

“It’s also not an isolated incident. There have been reports of youngsters camping out and setting fires near the golf course.”

Since posting the image Katrina has received dozens of messages of support and advice on social media, many encouraging her to name and shame the youngsters and tell the police.

Pauline Nutman posted: “That’s awful. Do you know who they are? Name and shame them.”

Catriona Madden blamed the boys’ parents, posting: “Where are the parents for them to be out at that time?”

There was even more forceful condemnation from Donna Gillan, who said: “What is wrong with people? It’s disgusting that people think it is acceptable to just help themselves to things that are not theirs or damage people’s property they work hard to make a living from. The sad thing is they probably won’t get done for this.”

Donna Gillian summed up a lot of the reactions by saying: “It’s shocking. The poor woman has had nowt but s**t from absolute scumbags trying to rob her and break in just for a bit fun.

“Folk have no respect at all these days. It makes me so worried for my wee one growing up in this sad world we’re living in now.”

An organisation safeguarding the resting places of 1.7m Commonwealth armed forces personnel killed in the first and second world wars has been urged to intervene in the ongoing row over grass-cutting in the Borders.

The furore over this year’s reduction in how often grass is cut across the region is showing no signs of dying down, and now Hawick and Hermitage councillor Davie Paterson is calling on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to add its voice to calls on Scottish Borders Council to do a U-turn.

Many of the region’s fallen from the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars are buried in graveyards here, including St Cuthbert’s, Wellogate and Wilton cemeteries in Hawick, and Mr Paterson says it’s an insult to their sacrifices to have memorials overgrown with grass.

He said: “I have written to the commission and told them that the ruling administration at Scottish Borders Council made a cost-saving measure to reduce the number of cuts to several areas in the Borders, including cemeteries, from every 10 working days to every 20 working days.

“I informed the commission that this meant, in reality, it could well be over a month before some cemeteries get cut and that in the Hawick area we have the Wilton and Wellogate cemeteries.

“I asked if there were any Commonwealth war graves in these cemeteries or in St Mary’s churchyard or in St Cuthbert’s churchyard, which they have confirmed there are, and would it be possible for them to write to the chief executive at the council about the length of the grass, as in some cases the grass is taller than the gravestones themselves.”

A spokesman for the commission has confirmed it has three war graves at St Cuthbert’s, 50 at Wellogate and 20 at Wilton on its books, adding: “The commission is unaware of any complaints made regarding overgrown war graves in the Hawick area.

“However, if any recent photographs of these war graves could be forwarded to us that would illustrate such an issue, this could be forwarded to our regional manager for his investigation.”

Hawick and Denholm councillor Clair Ramage also wants the cutbacks reversed, and she said: “The grass-cutting, or the lack of, has yet again been the main complaint from the public in the last couple of weeks.

“As I have walked around, many people have stopped me about this issue, which they find unacceptable.

“I have also had many complaints about the state of local cemeteries which has obviously upset many people.

“I walked around Denholm Cemetery, and it was sad to see grass as high as some of the headstones and some graves completely lost because of this policy.

“I spent some time driving around taking photographs to send to Scottish Borders Council which highlight this issue.

“The claim that it is in the name of biodiversity does seem a bit disingenuous and reflects a total lack of compassion for the families involved.

“We realise there has to be cuts to services, but there also has to be a balance.

“The entrances to our towns and villages have to entice the tourists in but, unfortunately, I fear that they will just drive on as our town is looking unkempt.”

This year’s Earlston Civic Week has gone down as one of the best ever, thanks to glorious sunshine and its ever-changing programme of events.

For the first time in as long as organisers can remember the sun shone on every single event of the annual festival, helping pull in bumper crowds.

“It was an enormous success, very much assisted by the weather,” Tom Burnham secretary of the event’s organising committee, said.

“The most impressive thing this year was the reaction to the scarecrows. We had never done that before and had well over 110 on display. Every time we counted them another one had sprouted up. The word spread quite rapidly and it was lovely, we’ll definitely repeat that next year.”

Throughout the week townsfolk enjoyed pool, dominoes, darts, bowling and football tournaments as well a treasure hunt, bingo, a pet show and disco.

Tuesday’s White Hill race was won by Ewan Christie and Jessica Hendry while first man and woman home in the Black Hill race were Alistair McDonald and Louise Mitchell.

“There were fewer people than last year in the hill race probably because of the burning sun,” Tom added. “But on the other hand it was done in a really fast time and it was a fabulous spectacle in the sunshine. It became a spectator sport for the first time- it’s usually been raining in the past.”

The week culminated with Friday night’s concert in the marquee, where 150 revellers enjoyed entertainment from Scocha, and Saturday’s fancy dress, sports, torchlight parade and fireworks.

Tom added: “Scocha were a phenomenal success, they never let us down. It’s the fourth time we have had them and they are as popular as ever.

“The fancy dress was it’s normal successful shape and size.

“The innovation there was the fire brigade joined the procession as far as the rugby club where it stopped and squirted all the kids with water, which was great fun.

“We had perfect weather for that afternoon’s sports, too. We had every conceivable manner of sports from wheelbarrow races to egg and spoon. We really went to town and kept going until everybody was exhausted.

“The fire works were much admired as usual and we had more than 100 torches making up the torchlight procession.”

Other changes this year included the moving of the pet show from the Tuesday to the Monday, and the return of a duck race for the first time in around six years.

Tom puts the success of these new events and changes down to the week’s innovative organising committee.

“We have a big committee over over 20 members, with a lot of young people on it,” he added.

“Every age is represented from 75 down to 20. The youngsters come up with a lot of great ideas, they really are very good. They are the future of the civic week and the future old wise ones.”

Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal three-vehicle road traffic collision near Jedburgh.

The incident happened at around 4.45pm yesterday on the A68 around two miles south of Jedburgh between Fair’s Houses and Glendouglas Lodge.

The rider of a Triumph Thruxton motorcycle travelling north collided with an Audi A6 travelling south.

A second motorcycle travelling north also then collided with the Audi when trying to avoid the collision.

As a result, the 53-year-old male rider of the first motorcycle suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 45-year-old male rider of the second motorcycle sustained serious, but not life-threatening, injuries and was taken by ambulance to Borders General Hospital.

Roads policing officers attended along with emergency services and the road was closed for around seven hours for investigations to be conducted.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses and anyone with information that can help with ongoing inquiries is asked to come forward.

Sergeant Fraser Wood from Police Scotland’s Road Policing Unit said: “Tragically as a result of the collision a man has lost his life and our thoughts remain with his family and friends at this time.

“I am eager to hear from anyone who may have been travelling on the A68 and who saw the vehicles immediately prior to the collision, or who witnessed what happened, to contact us as soon as possible.

“Similarly anyone who may have any information that can help with our investigations is asked to come forward.”

Anyone with information can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 3330 of July 8, or report this anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Safety measures are to be put in place on a leafy Galashiels road following claims that it is used by more than 2,000 cars a day.

Councillor Euan Jardine has successfully campaigned for new safety measures to be introduced on the road after fears from residents over the increased use of Windyknowe Road, which connects Wood Street with Kirkbrae.

Mr Jardine told us: “Windyknowe Road in Galashiels is becoming increasingly busy with the last recorded survey showing over 2,000 cars on the road per day.

“It is a road that narrows quickly and also leads into a built-up area.

“It used by pedestrians of all ages and has two entrances to small housing estates, as well as several driveways.

“There had been a call from residents in the area for some sort of speed control on the road.”

Mr Jardine discussed the matter with the road safety department at Newtown, and the following measures are to be introduced.

A ‘Pedestrians on the Road Ahead’ sign will be erected in both westbound and eastbound sections, and SLOW markings will be placed on the road itself.

Windyknowe resident Harry Smith said: ““I recently raised concerns regarding the speed of traffic on the Windyknowe Road with my local councillors.

“I was very impressed that Councillor Jardine personally came to review the traffic situation and I am now delighted that he has been able to initiate some new improvements, which hopefully will improve safety in this area.”

Mr Jardine added: “There had been calls to make this area a 20mph zone but unfortunately, due to current Scottish government regulations this is not possible. I am happy and welcome the new safety measures proposed by the council and I have also asked for the council to monitor them with a view to further signage if required. It is hoped that these new measures will implemented within the next few months.”

A council spokesman told us it would take two months to put the signs in place, in order to “allow the gathering of public utility information, order, manufacture and erection of signs”.

The spolesperson added: “This is the normal timescale for any new signs to appear on-site.”

Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road collision in Hawick.

The incident happened in Eildon Road around 5.15pm on Saturday, July 7 when an orange KTM motorcycle, travelling east, collided with a parked blue Kia Sportage.

The 30-year-old motorcyclist was taken to Borders General Hospital with serious injuries, where he later died.

The road was closed in both directions for around five hours while emergency services attended the scene and carried out enquiries.

Officers are now urging anyone who can assist with the ongoing investigation to come forward.

Police have not formally identified the motorcyclist who died yet, but tributes, addressed to a man named Kyle, have been left at the scene.

Constable Peter Scott from the road policing unit in Dalkeith said: “This incident has tragically resulted in the death of a man and our sympathies are with his family at this difficult time.

“Enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision and anyone who witnessed this, or who saw the motorcycle beforehand, is urged to contact us as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information can contact the road policing unit in Dalkeith via 101, quoting incident number 3277 of July 7.

This year’s Earlston Civic Week’s packed programme of events has been hailed a huge success.

See all the results from last week below or read about it here: https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/earlston-civic-week-offers-fun-and-sun-for-all-1-4766137

Window dressing (‘Scarecrow’ theme): Aquarius

Civic Week Golf: gents winner Stuart Vickery and ladies winner Elizabeth Bain.

Red Lion darts: winner Kyle Clarke, runner-up Craig Robertson.

Red Lion dominoes: winner Kyle clarke, runner-up Grant Murray.

Red Lion pool: winner Tony Campbell, runner-up David Okang.

Car treasure hunt: Winner The Denhams, runner-up Earlston Explorers, booby The Cuckoo.

Youths football: Daniel’s Dynamos.

Adult football: Love Below.

Pet show: Overall winner: Emily Elphick with Lenny (Labrador)

Dogs under one year: 1 Jamie with Harry (Golden Spaniel), 2 Charlie with Leo (Staffie).

Dogs over one year: 1 Emily Elphick with Lenny, 2 Laura with Shuggie, 3 Elaine with Woodie, Special: Beth with Mungo.

Bitches under one year: 1 Brodie with Smidge.

Bitches over one year: 1 Hazel with Jill, 2 Andrew with Cloud, 3 Muff with Poppy.

Cats: 1 Jodie with Oscar.

Hamsters: 1= Abby with Cole, Madison with Rocky and Eva with Chip.

Duck Race: 1 Shannon Elliot, 2 Ivor Aitchison, 3 Carol Brownlie, last home Janice Robertson.

Milestone White Hill race: First boy home Ewan Christie; first girl home Jessica Hendry.

Milestone Black Hill Race: Overall winner: Alistair McDonald; First woman: Louise Mitchell; First male veteran (40+): Leahn Parry; First lady veteran (40+): Kate Jenkins; First Lauderdale Limper: Leahn Parry; First Runner home from TD4: Neil Christie; First Jog-Earlston Man: Angus Baxter; First Jog-Earlston Woman: Jackie Todd; First EHS pupil home: David Murray.

Quiz: Winning team: Holy Moses (Earlston Church), 2= Wurzel Gummidges and 3 A’s and AJ, 3 East-enders.

Bowling tournament: Winning team: Craig Robertson, Kenny Wilson, Ian Hyslop and Steven Greer.

Runners-up: James Brotherstone, Tam Russell (Jinx), Brian Hunter and Brian Ibessane.

Best floral display: Anne Thomson

FANCY DRESS:

Singles under 5 years: 1 Aidan Vermeulen (werewolf), 2 Harper Brown (The Wonder Baby), 3 Finlay Caldock (Leonardo ninja turtle).

Singles 5-10 years: 1 Ezio Eneide (jelly belly0, 2 Kyla Porchess (queen of hearts), 3 Charlie James Miles (angry coconut).

Singles 11-16 years: 1 Rosie Petty (zombie) 2 Hannah Moray (joker).

Adult singles: 1 Graeme Cowe (grass-cutting scarecrow), 2 Tam Russell (HMS Jinx), 3 Alice McKeeney (Stanin’ Stane)

Groups up to 10 years: 1 Lexi McGarva, McKenzie & Amelia Hart (scarecrows on tour), 2 Ercildoune Bairns (wee miss & mr lads clan) 3 Lewis & Brodie Wilson (Sherlock Gnomes).

Groups 11-16 years: 1 Lewis Newton & Kiara O’Neill (sweet nerds), 2 Mackenzie & Madison Elliot (Beauty and the Beast).

Adult Groups: 1 Bollywood, 2 Mickey and Minnie Mouse, 3 Toy Soldiers.

Adults with children: 1 Earlston Mardi Gras, 2 The Scared Crows 3 Earlston Disney.

Overall winners:

Sandy Blair trophy for most oustanding: Graeme Cowe (scarecrow)

Whitefield Cup for best dressed single under 10: Ezio Eneide (jelly belly).

Committee Cup for best under 10 single or group: Lewis Newton (sweet nerds)

Hazel Lyall trophy for most eye-catching adult: Morag Sterrick (who’s the clown).

Les Scott trophy for best group up to 10: Gillian McGarva (scarecrows on tour).

Joyce Ballantyne trophy for best adults with children group: Douglas Ballantyne (Earlston Mardi Gras).

SATURDAY SPORTS:-

Under-five girls race: 1 Bick Richardson, 2 Lily Cannon, Lucy Slater.

Under-five boys race: 1 Zach McVie, 2 Zach Elliot, 3 Brodie Wilson.

Girls 6-8 race: 1 Gemma Wilson, 2 Elizabeth Bain, 3 Amy-Lee Cessford.

Boys 6-8 race: 1 Harvey Richardson, 2 Sandy Bell, 3 Henry Sharpe.

Girls 9-11 race: 1 Abby Stewart, 2 Georgia Jo, 3 Enleigh Whiteside Bell.

Boys 9-11 race: 1 Shae O’Neill, 2 Ewan Piercy, 3 Cameron Newton.

Girls 12-15 race: 1 Laia Reid, 2 Rohan Bell, 3 Kiara O’Neill.

Boys 12-15 race: 1 Shane, 2 Seth Jackson.

Women’s race: 1 Lauren Rawlings, 2 Gillian McGarva, 3 Rebecca Newton.

Men’s race: 1 Michael McHeugh, 2 James Richardson, 3 Les Bottomley.

Under-five girls sack race: 1 Lily Cannon, 2 Laina McHeugh, 3 Lucy Slater.

Under-five boys sack race: 1 Hunter Horsely, 2 Craig McHeugh.

Girls 6-8 sack race: 1 Amelia Hart, 2 Amy-Lee Cessford, 3 Mia Wetherston.

Boys 6-8 sack race: 1 Harvey Stewart-Richardson, 2 Luka Bell, 3 Charlie Stewart-Richardson.

Girls 9-11 sack race: 1 Georgia Jo, 2 Madison Elliot, 3 Amy Bouache.

Boys 9-11 sack race: 1 Shae O’Neill, 2 Oscar Stewart, 3 Cameron Newton.

Women’s sack race: 1 Lauren Rawlings, 2 Gillian McGarva, 3 Tammy Laidlaw.

Men’s sack race: 1 Barry Chisholm, 2 Michael McHeugh, 3 Chris Stewart.

Under-fives boys & girls wheelbarrow race: 1 Laina McHeugh, 2 Lucy Slater and Imogen.

6-8 boys & girls wheelbarrow race: 1 Hazel Milligan & Henry Sharpe, Maisie Baillie & Lizzie Breen, 3 Connor Slater.

9-15 boys & girls wheelbarrow race: 1 Michael & Georgia Slater, Shae Rawlings & Cameron Newton, 3 Lexi McGarva & McKenzie Hart.

Men & women wheelbarrow race: 1 Lynne & George Milligan, 2 Chelsea Elliot & Andy Hays, 3 Hannah Miles & Dec Turnbull.

Under-fives Spoon race: 1 Lily Cannon. 2 Imogen, 3 Alaina Whitaker.

6-8 girls Spoon race: 1 Gemma Wilson, 2 Amy Cessford, 3 Mia Wetherston & Kyla Porches.

6-8 boys spoon race (1): 2 Joe Holisz, 3 Charlie James.

6-8 boys spoon race (2): 1 Charlie Stewart-Richardson, 2 Connor Slater, 3 Jamie Harkness.

9-11 girls spoon race: 1 Rohan Bell, 3 Georgia Jo.

9-11 boys spoon race: 1 Zach Wheeler, 2 Stuart Newton, 3 Jonathan Turner.

16 and over spoon race: 1 Alanna Elliot, 2 Hannah Miles, 3 Shania Miles.

Tug o’war: Winner Marvel, runner-up Dead Weight.

Galashiels swimming pool remains closed today (Monday) due to a mechanical breakdown with the air handling unit.

The unit, which is essential for regulating air temperature and ventilation, failed on Friday, with the pool forced to shut over the weekend.

Olly Robertson, area manager for Live Borders, said technicians were on site on Friday morning, but were unable to repair the problem.

Lessons scheduled for this afternoon and evening have been cancelled.

Mr Robertson said: “Unfortunately the pool will be closed while we await the delivery of the parts needed to fix the mechanical issues.

“We are working hard to resolve these issues and also looking at alternate methods to ensure we can get the pool reopen as soon as possible.

“We apologise to our members and the pool users who will be affected by this closure and for the inconvenience that this may cause.”

Hawick is now another step closer to getting the £44m flood defences intended to keep the River Teviot at bay in years to come.

Scottish Borders Council is advertising a £35m contract for the construction of the long-awaited defences, and that move has been welcomed by Hawick Volunteer Flood Group chairman Stuart Marshall.

Mr Marshall, also a councillor for Hawick and Denholm, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the Hawick flood protection scheme has now progressed to this stage.

“Many people in the town will share my delight that a Main Contractor for this long overdue scheme is finally being sought.

“No one in Hawick should underestimate the sheer scale of this £44m project, and once delivered in hopefully 30 months or so, it will, I’m sure, give peace of mind to hundreds of townsfolk.

“Our town has waited nearly 13 years for a scheme to get to this stage, and during that period, many families and businesses have suffered terribly because of flooding and I, for one, am extremely excited at the real prospect now of progressing this vital project for our community.”

The council is footing around £9m of the £44m bill, with the Scottish Government paying nearly £35m and Transport Scotland and Scottish Water chipping in £500,000 and £80,000 respectively.

It will need to buy land along the river in to allow the project to proceed, and in March it was agreed to give council officers delegated authority to start land purchase talks and to begin compulsory purchase proceedings if necessary.

The advert, on the Public Contracts Scotland website, reads: “The scheme will deliver flood protection against one-in-75-year flood events to 930 residential and commercial properties at risk along the River Teviot and Slitrig water through Hawick.

“The scheme will also deliver multiple benefits to the town of Hawick, maximising the cultural, heritage, educational, environmental, energy and health opportunities that a major civil engineering project can deliver, in partnership with the community and external organisations.”

The total length of the the flood defences will be 5.93km, with 5.6km of walls, including glazing and stone cladding, and 330m of embankments.

The defences, to have a lifespan of 100 years, will have an average height of approximately 1.6m above ground level, rising to a maximum of 2.55m near Hawick High School.

Included in the scheme will be the replacement of three footbridges and the creation of a 2.5m wide footpath and cycleway along the length of the defences.

Advance works have already started and are due for completion in June 2019, and the main construction phase will begin then and is expected to be finished by the end of December 2021.

A council spokesperson said: “In October 2005, flooding of the River Teviot caused extensive damage to the town, affecting thousands of people and hundreds of properties and caused millions of pounds of damage.

“As a result, the council started the Hawick flood protection scheme, being delivered to protect around 900 flood-affected properties once completed in 2022.

“It is one of the largest infrastructure projects seen in the Borders, with 6km of flood defences being created, 10 new floodgates and potentially three new footbridges.”

Dogs and their owners descended on Hawick in their droves on Friday for a family day of fun and competition.

Over 300 people flocked to Wilton Lodge Park for the second annual family and dog fun day, organised by Scottish Borders Council.

Activities and entertainment ran throughout the day in glorious conditions, with over 50 pets entered into the various competitions, including a fun dog show.

The Les Amis D’Onno dog display team wowed the crowds, while a ‘have a go’ dog agility course, run by Dryburgh Abbey Training Group, was tackled by four-legged friends of all abilities.

Braw Puppy was on hand with dog training demonstrations, with information on the control of dogs, the Green Dog Walker scheme, free health checks and microchipping also available.

Councillor Sandy Aitchison, executive member for neighbourhoods and locality services, said: “This was another fantastic day, with entertainment, activities and education the themes of the day.

“It is vital communities play their part and be responsible dog owners, in particular our young people, and our family and dog fun day certainly helped get across this positive message.”

“Thank you to all who attended with their pets, as well as the charities, volunteers and sponsors who supported the event.”

Dog show results:

Golden Oldie – Amber (owner Lily Fairley)

Prettiest Bitch – Lulu (Gwen Lindsay)

Most Handsome – Ben (Melissa Whittet)

Best Rescue – Tig (Heather McManus)

Best Puppy – Lacey (Jacqueline Tout)

Junior Handler – Deck (Mia Walker)

Best in Show – Tig (Heather McManus)

Melrose residents now have just over a month left to make a case for keeping the town’s Royal Bank of Scotland branch open.

A consultation being carried out by accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael will end at 5pm on Tuesday, August 14, and a decision will be made on the High Street bank’s fate the month after, it has been announced.

The branch was originally due to shut on Thursday, June 21, following the closure of five others in the Borders, but it was one of 10 nationwide given a reprieve in February until the end of the year.

Johnston Carmichael has set up a dedicated website, johnstoncarmichael.com/rbsbranchreview, and email address, RBSbranchreview@jcca.co.uk, to gather views on the bank’s importance to its community.

It is also offering 20-minute appointments at the branch on Friday, August 3, to customers wanting to have their say. To book an appointment, call 01224 259353.

RBS has agreed to be bound by the findings of Johnston Carmichael’s review and take whatever action is recommended.

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP John Lamont is cautiously optimistic about the branch’s chances of survival after meeting Johnston Carmichael officials last week but only if Borderers show their support in sufficient numbers.

“I am disappointed that this review will be rushed through in just a few months because RBS took so long to appoint someone,” he said.

“However, after speaking with Johnston Carmichael directly, I am more confident that it isn’t a done deal.

“Now, residents and businesses who think the RBS branch is a vital service can get in touch with the review directly, via email or by writing to them.

“People will also be able to have face-to-face appointments at the Melrose branch.

“Alternatively, constituents can get in touch with myself, and I will gather together all the responses I receive.

“Hundreds of people turned up to my public meeting in Melrose about these closures. If that same level of opposition to the closures is made clear to the review, I am confident we have a really good chance of saving Melrose’s branch.”

Melrose’s RBS is the last bank in the town following the closure of its Bank of Scotland rival in Market Square in October 2016.

Fears have been raised over the future of salmon fishing on the Tweed – and the financial benefits it brings to the area – after the relentlessly hot weather we have been recently blessed with has led to drastically low river levels.

On his Tweedbeats online blog on Sunday, June 8, Andrew Douglas Home wrote: “After yet another boiling week, Tweed salmon fishing has all but ceased. The river is at, or even below, summer level, and the afternoon water temperatures down here at Coldstream are consistently in the mid 70sF.

“Just 27 salmon and 5 sea trout were caught last week, making 1,030 salmon and 254 sea trout for the year to date.”

He went on: “At a time when salmon numbers in Scotland are low anyway, it is a pretty disastrous situation for everyone connected with the salmon fishing industry; fishermen and women for spoiling their annual Scottish fishing holidays; ghillies and boatmen for having endless poor, even blank, fishing weeks to endure; proprietors for now (most probably) having a fifth poor fishing year in a row; and tackle shops, hotels, restaurants, B&Bs, self catering accommodation, petrol stations ... you name it ... because they are financially much worse off, some in vulnerable, often remote, rural communities, for what has been happening to our salmon fishing of late.

“Is it a crisis? Well, if not, it is not far from it.”

Luke Comins, Tweed Forum director stopped short of calling it a crisis, saying: “Yes, things are pretty dire on the fishing front just now; not just here, but all over Scotland.

“However, we have had plenty of dry summers in the past and the Tweed fishery has endured just fine. It should be noted that it wasn’t long ago that the Tweed was largely unlet over the summer as people focused on the stronger spring and autumn runs and more reliable fishing conditions.

“The big difference is that this dry spell comes on the back of a poor spring, and a drastically-reduced autumn run last season, so the ‘crisis’ that Andrew refers to is less about the heat wave, and more about long-term trends in salmon numbers across the North Atlantic.”

However, Fay Hieatt, clerk of the River Tweed Commission, said that although anglers are tending to stay away from the river due to the conditions, the salmon in the river will not be adversely affected.

She said: “Biologically, nothing inside the Tweed catchment has altered.

“Salmon in the Tweedn system will continue to breed.

“This long spell of dry weather is affecting the fishing ... and we could do with some more rain to freshen it up.

“The present conditions are worrying in terms of angling and business, but not in terms of the salmon stocks.”

Scottish Borders Council leader Shona Haslam and architect husband Marc have unveiled grand designs for one of Peebles High Street’s most iconic buildings.

The couple bought the town’s old courthouse, completed in 1848, in 2017 with the intention of preserving its 19th century architecture and turning its ground floor into commercial units.

Now, the Haslams have reconsidered and applied to the council to convert the ground floor of the building into a four-bed hostel with shared kitchen, dining and bathroom areas.

Ms Haslam said: “We are very excited to be bringing this building back from the brink of disrepair.

“Having done our market research, we know that there is a demand for bunkhouse-type accommodation in Peebles that caters for our growing tourism industry.  

“We will be working closely with local businesses and have already spoken to many in the sector who we are keen to work with us.

“Obviously this is a long-term project for us and it is going to take time, but we are looking forward to seeing the courthouse restored to its former glory.”

The court dispensed justice in Peebleshire for over 150 years before a discovery of dry rot led to its closure.

It stood empty for three years before being bought by the Haslams bought the building and began regenerating it, creating an apartment on its upper floors.

A decision on their latest application is expected within the next few weeks.

A student has been banned from the road for six months for falling asleep while driving on the A1 and causing a crash resulting in injuries to a passenger and herself.

Yasmin Gordon, 19, of St Andrews in Fife, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving on the stretch of the Edinburgh-London road between Penmanshiel and Cockburnspath on February 11 this year.

She admitted falling asleep while driving, leading to her car leaving the carriageway and colliding with a roadside barrier, causing injury to passenger Jasmine Kirkcaldy and herself as well as damage to the vehicle and the barrier.

Gordon had eight penalty points put on her licence, and as it hasn’t been two years since she passed her test, that meant an automatic ban of six months and she will have to sit a driving test again before getting her licence back.

Sheriff Peter Paterson noted with concern that Gordon had been given another three penalty points for speeding after the accident in February.

Gordon was also fined £200.

A 27-year-old has been accused of attacking another woman with a sock containing two golf balls.

Amy Wilson, of Inchmyre in Kelso, denies assaulting her alleged victim with an offensive weapon.

She also denies kicking her to the body to her injury at Glebe Park in Gordon on May 27.

A trial date has been set for October 2 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on September 3.

More than 400 people flocked to Burnfoot on Saturday for its annual carnival.

The celebrations were blessed with some first-class weather which helped pull in bumper crowds.

This year’s carnival queen Casey Graham was crowned by her predecessor Skye Clears and cornet Tyler Frew received his riding crop after Hawick provost Watson McAteer officially opened the event.

More than 50 youngsters took part in the fancy-dress contest, each receiving a certificate and prize from Hawick Cornet Gareth Renwick and his lass Jenny Nichol, before an afternoon of entertainment within the grounds of Burnfoot Community School.

Hawick Scout Pipe Band, Hawick Saxhorn Band and local acts Pyre, the Joe Mangels and the Stevie T band provided live music while dancers from Hawick’s Got2Dance group proved as popular as ever.

This year’s other entertainment included a funfair, inflatables, stalls and face-painting.

Ann Knight, chairwoman of Burnfoot Community Council, said: “We had a great day for it and had between 400 and 500 people through the gates. Everybody enjoyed themselves and we were very lucky again with donations to keep it all going.

“It all comes down to volunteers and help from local businesses and we couldn’t do it without them.”

Ann added: “Burnfoot Church donated tea, coffee and water, Morrisons provided fruit for the children, the chairs and tables were loaned from Heart of Hawick, Border Pharmacy helped pay for the bands and Waverley Housing sponsored the event too. The council supported us financially too and Hamish Smith jewellers kindly fixed the crown so that it could be used this year.”

A 25-year-old man has been jailed for 226 days at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for breaking into a Hawick house and stealing property including an Xbox games console.

Craig Robson, of Priors Court in Jedburgh, pleaded guilty to taking part in a raid on the Silverbuthall Road home on December 12.

Depute fiscal Eilidh Robertson said neighbours heard the break-in take place and alerted the police.

Officers arrived soon afterwards to catch Robson red-handed in possession of an Xbox and computer games, the court heard.