A 79-year-old woman was seriously injured on Saturday when two cars collided on the B6399 Hawick to Newcastleton Road just after 11am.

The incident happened near Shankend, between a Landrover 110 travelling north and a Peugot 307 moving south.

The woman who was injured was a passenger in the Peugot, and had to be cut from the wreckage. Two men suffered minor injuries.

Fire, police and ambulance services attended the scene.

A health alert has been issued warning parents over an outbreak of a polio-type virus that can easily be spread through coughs and sneezes.

Cases of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), which has no known cure or vaccine, have more than doubled in the last year.

Linked to cases of very young children being left unable to walk, the virus can leave kids fighting to breathe or swallow.

The public are advised to take good hygiene precautions when sneezing and coughing, wash their hands and avoid close contact with people with colds and flu-like illnesses.

It is understood four young victims have been hospitalised in the UK, with a boy and primary-aged girl in the Edinburgh area in intensive care for more than a month.

The outbreak follows one in Wales during the winter of 2014-15.

Public Health England has now published a risk assessment stating the virus is associated with ‘polio-like’ neurological symptoms.

Last year only 14 cases of EV-D68 were detected in the UK, but this year has already seen 38 lab-confirmed infections.

Most young patients have been admitted to hospital with respiratory problems, with some suffering neurological issues.

While doctors have been notified, affected families fear too little has been done to alert the public.

One source, speaking to Mail Online, said: “There’s a real concern the spread of this virus isn’t being made public.

“GPs need to know this virus is out there so they can recognise symptoms and make quick referrals. Symptoms seem to start with a sore throat but, within a day or so, they are left unable to breathe as their muscles stop working and they become floppy.

“It’s a terrifying disease that leaves a lot of the children permanently paralysed. Health officials seem to be really keen this is kept secret but parents and doctors need to know.”

NHS Lothian incident management team chair Dr Kate Templeton confirmed: “We have been investigating a possible cluster of patients infected with enterovirus D68. The patients are all now testing negative for the virus.”

EV-D68 is linked to a phenomenon called acute flaccid paralysis that causes patients’ muscles to rapidly weaken.

If the muscles needed to breathe fail, patients can die.

Children are more vulnerable because they have not built up immunity to such viruses.

An outbreak of EV-D68 in the US killed 14 people and infected 1,153 between August 2014 and January last year. Public Health England has confirmed the virus is circulating but said cases are in line with expected numbers.

Many people who contract the virus only ever have mild cold-like symptoms and do not suffer paralysis.

The public are advised to take good hygiene precautions to minimise the risk of infection.

Regulation is an increasing challenge for schools in all sectors, including the independent sector. Where 20 years ago regulations were minor requirements for schools, now they have hundreds of regulations with which they must comply, or face the risk of sanctions – or even closure. This is where a regime of self-reflection and assessment can really come into its own. A school which competently self-assesses need not fear the threat of regulatory inspection, because they are pre-empting and mirroring the inspection process internally and are therefore always ahead of the game. The fallout from regulation breaches is considerable – as well as the financially measurable penalties, there is the far less measurable impact of increased staff workload, reputational harm and possible damage to staff/pupil morale to consider.

It is increasingly puzzling in the current fiscal climate that so few independent schools around the UK and Europe buy into the idea of holistic self-assessment to help them stay abreast of their regulatory obligations while increasing their performance levels in all aspects of their schools. Quality Scotland recognises the need for this and helps all types of organisations in the establishment of their own self-assessment processes, from educating staff about it right through to setting systematic self-assessment cycles.

Private schools are educational establishments, but they are also businesses, and as such they are all acutely aware of the fact that there is an ever-increasing threat to their cash flow, which presents the most fundamental risk to their survival. No money means no school – because it can lead to inability to meet stakeholder demands, which in turn affects reputation and eventually pupil numbers.

The state education sector is regulated by guidance within the Scottish Government initiative “How Good Is Our School?” (HGIOS), whose latest version was developed jointly by Education Scotland and Quality Scotland as a self-reflection methodology which encourages schools to set up a rigorous self-reflection process around educational goals and objectives. HGIOS is based on the EFQM Excellence Model which looks holistically across an organisation, recognising that every aspect of the organisation has an impact on how well the organisation performs. In reality, schools are no different to any other organisation. They have stakeholders whom they need to satisfy. They have books that they need to balance. They have staff whose output they need to maximise. The nuances of organisations are what differentiate them from each other. Independent schools have a wider set of aspects to consider than state sector, for example, Marketing & PR; Corporate Social Responsibility; Charities Commission considerations; Profitability; and so whilst HGIOS offers good discipline on self-assessment of learning and teaching aspects, the EFQM Excellence Model is a more rounded and realistic type of framework for the private sector to use.

Schools are open to scrutiny from all stakeholders, including current and potential parents, because so much data is collected and published online. Parents expect more for less, and this is exacerbated in the private sector because parents are often paying a sizeable amount of money for their child’s education, over and above their social security contributions. Education is a highly emotive subject – parents are expected to trust the educational experts, and because of increasingly extensive media reporting and social media exposure, many try to seek comfort via checking and hard measures rather than the traditional offer of that trust.

Given the number of plates private sector educational organisations must keep spinning to stay in business, keep on the right side of their various regulatory commitments, and educate the young people in their care, it is easy to see how, without a robust regime of self-assessment, the whole process can become super-stressful. If you are interested in talking to us about how you could potentially alleviate this stress, we can explore various options with you.

Famed management consultant Dr W Edwards Deming stated: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” But it has to be more than that. It has to be about what you do now, what you need to do, what the gap is and how you can bridge the gap. It has to be about how you can be confident your organisation will be successful in the long term. Without this approach to self-assessment, measurements alone are short term and could drive damaging behaviours.

Sara Keane, Account Director, Quality Scotland. Contact Quality Scotland on 0131 225 5765 or visit www.qualityscotland.co.uk to learn how we can help your organisation.

The Steading in Blainslie, while being a fairly innocuous-sounding address, might be the most aptly-named house in the Borders.

The 16th century farmhouse’s exterior, while lovely, is not outstanding, but when you walk through the front door, you are drawn into the amazing – often fairly mad – world of one of the region’s most talented craftsmen.

Tim Stead’s lifeblood courses through each and every surface, all lovingly designed and built by the wizard woodsman, who died at the age of 48 in 2000.

To look at the wood is not enough. To the touch, each piece almost throbs with warmth, the smooth surfaces and the rough edges telling the story of the wood and the man who worked it.

The sculptor, furniture-maker and environmentalist devoted his life to wood – he created Britain’s first community woodland at nearby Wooplaw – and was commissioned to make many extraordinary pieces, such as a Papal chair for Pope John Paul II’s visit to Scotland, the memorial chapel at the Kirk of St Nicholas in Aberdeen and the wooden parts of the huge Millennium Clock in the National Museum in Edinburgh.

But it is in his own home that he dreamt up his designs and built prototypes, and he furnished each room with unique works of art made from locally-sourced wood – even the bathroom basin.

However, Tim’s widow Maggy Stead Lenert, while massively passionate about the house and her late husband’s work, wishes to retire to Europe, and moves are afoot to safeguard the Steading’s future as a living showcase and to keep this highly significant example of Scottish craftsmanship and environmental philosophy here in the Borders, where it can be viewed, and touched, by the public.

The Tim Stead Trust was established in 2015 to secure funding to purchase the Steading and his archive.

Maggy, originally from Luxembourg, is currently archiving her husband’s life’s work, from furniture, sculptures, drawings and project plans –an awe-inspiring quest in itself, as he was constantly coming up with new ideas and working on items.

Maggy said: “The trust was created to keep this house the home of Tim Stead, not as a museum, because museums are dead places, and there is a lot of life in this house.

“It has been an inspiration to many people and continues to be so.

“We think it should be a vibrant place, with an artist in residence, running workshops for children as well as adults.

“But the first thing we are holding, as a kind of experiment, is a poetry workshop.

“We need to look at what we can do to raise money for this place.

“The trust is now looking to raise between £10,000-£20,000 to put together a business plan, in order to attract larger sponsors and grant funding.

“We have to be able to prove to potential investors that we won’t be back with a begging bowl.”

Maggy said the profile of the house needed to be raised.

She said: “We had an exhibition in Galashiels for the Creative Coathanger festival, and while most people were aware of his work, they were unaware of this place in Blainslie.

“We need to let people know about this little treasure so close to their homes, a place that they can visit and can inspire you.”

The trust has piqued the interest of the Duke of Rothesay, Prince Charles, who met Tim when he was creating a wood school in Ancrum with Eoin Cox.

He said: “Tim Stead created a place of extraordinary artistic interest at the Steading. He was a remarkable woodcraftsman, a true and gifted artist. I have long admired his beautifully-crafted woodwork, and I can only commend the Tim Stead Trust for seeking to preserve it for public access. I hope that, once open, the Steading acts as a source of great inspiration to those who visit.”

Maggy said the prince’s support is very welcome, but she is just as keen to have the support of her neighbours in Blainslie.

She said: “The people in the village are used to visits to the workshop from customers, college groups and trustees.

“The car parking is a bit of an issue, but we regularly ask the visitors to park either in our drive or in front of the village hall.

“In May this year, we had an open day at the Steading for the villagers, and they left some wonderful comments.”

Maggy wants to retire to France in 2019, so there is a limited time to keep the Steading as a going concern.

One of the ways you can help is by becoming a friend of the trust, which costs £20 and keeps you in the loop as to what is happening through newsletters, and you also get a copy of the book With The Grain, which shows much of Tim’s work.

Another is by becoming a patron, which costs £500, but gains free entry to events and exhibitions and a dedicated and named wooden book, which will be placed in the patron’s bookshelves at the Steading.

Find out more online at www.timsteadtrust.org

It is a very sad fact that this wonderfully friendly breed of dog, with a Kennel Club Pedigree Class for the past 80 years and from an historic line stretching back over 200 years, has acquired such a negative reputation in the minds of the general public in recent years.

Due largely to their overriding desire to please they are easy to train and, unfortunately, those individuals that wish to use this trait to imbed aggression find the Staffordshire ideal for their warped aim.

The unfortunate effect of this small minority of bad owners is that the breed has become the stereotypical ‘dangerous’ dog. The nett result has been that almost a culture of fear has developed in the public’s mind and we hear the result of this on a daily basis at our centre.

We take a great deal of care to assess each individual prior to admitting it to the centre and undertake an initial viewing at the dog’s home followed by an in-depth assessment at our facility. Only if we feel that the dog is suitable for rehoming do we take it into our care.

We, and probably every rescue centre in the land, would simply ask that you look past the stereotype that has built up around the breed. They really can make fantastic family pets. In addition they are often receptive to training, enjoy playing a full part in the life of the family as well as relishing an active lifestyle. In short they can be seen as a great all round dog with so much to give to the right home.

So if you are looking for a new four-legged friend please consider them as part of your search and you could be rewarded with a fantastic addition to your family.

After an amazingly dry and mild fortnight, the weather finally broke on Sunday as I was walking round Lindean Reservoir near Selkirk, and the heavens opened.

There wasn’t much to see on the loch, other than a solitary little grebe, but the surrounding trees were a different matter.

As I approached a group of heavily berry-laden rowans, a huge flock of around 200 redwings suddenly exploded skywards. These recently arrived winter thrushes were feeding up on the bountiful harvest of rowans, before dispersing into smaller groups and spending the winter foraging for food all over the country.

At this time of year, rowans are the most plentiful and nutritious berries available to them and the fieldfares, thrushes and blackbirds, who also relish them. Just as well, as this is how the tree disperses its seeds. Unfortunately to us humans they are hard and bitter with little culinary use other than to make jelly, which is a pity as they are so easy to pick and in good supply. I have made wine from them previously, but it was a bit dry for my delicate palate!

The rowan’s other name is mountain ash, due to the similarity of leaf, but it is not related to the common ash. The colour red was considered to be the best colour for fighting evil, and so the rowan, with its bright red berries, has long been associated with magic and witches. Its old Celtic name is ‘fid na ndruad’, which means wizards’ tree. In Ireland it was planted near houses to protect them against spirits, and in Wales rowan trees were planted in churchyards. Cutting down a rowan was considered taboo in Scotland.

The wood was used for stirring milk to prevent it curdling, and as a pocket charm against rheumatism. It was also used to make divining rods.

The wood is pale yellow-brown with a deeper brown heartwood. It is strong, hard and tough, but not particularly durable. It is sometimes used in turnery, furniture, craftwork and engraving.

For anyone interested in the flora of the Central Borders, a new booklet has just flown from the prolific pen of Hawick botanist Michael Braithwaite.

Entitled “Floras of Hawick’s Road and Rail Routes compared”, it is published by the Hawick Archaeoligical Society and is available from the author by e-mail to mebraithwaite@btinternet.com

A disgruntled worker broke into his employer’s premises and stole £5,000 worth of tools and mechanical equipment in a dispute over unpaid wages.

Gary Clark, 37, of Burn Wynd, Jedburgh, admitted committing that offence at outbuildings owned by Joseph Daley at Newlands Farm, Denholm, between Wednesday, September 14, and Tuesday, September 20.

Prosecuting at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, Graham Fraser said: “He was working at this particular location and had fallen out with the owner of the premises.

“He felt there was money due to him and took the opportunity to remove the tools to the value of £5,000.

“He implied a different person was involved, but further inquiries revealed it was him, and there was a full recovery.”

Defence lawyer Ross Dow explained: “He was working for the man mentioned in the complaint. He and another man came up with this scheme as they had not been paid and still have not.

“They reckoned they were due £1,300 each in wages which had not been paid.

“They came up with the plan to force the man to pay the wages, but it lacked foresight as it was a criminal act.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson told Clark that such an offence would normally merit a custodial sentence, but he took into account the circumstances behind the offence and the fact that there was full recovery of the stolen items.

Instead, he deferred sentence for good behaviour until Tuesday, November 29, to monitor the progress of Clark’s sentence of 150 hours’ unpaid work for another offence.

ROYAL MAIL DRIVER FINED

A Royal Mail driver has been fined £300 for knocking down an elderly woman at the entrance to a Hawick supermarket car park.

Glyn Martin, 52, was suspended from driving duties by his employer following the incident near Morrisons, in Mart Street, after being charged with careless driving.

He pleaded guilty to that charge.

Prosecutor Graham Fraser told Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Monday how the mail van was driven along a filter lane on the inside past a queue of vehicles and struck the woman after she had just gone over a pedestrian crossing.

He said: “A number of people saw her umbrella flying through the air.”

Martin, of Longbaulk Road, Hawick, provided a negative breath test afterwards.

The woman sustained grazing to her head and elbow, bruising to her face, a cut on her lower left leg and a gouge to her ankle.

Mr Fraser added: “Because of her age and skin condition, it was not possible to stitch the wounds.”

She was taken to Borders General Hospital at Melrose and later transferred to Hawick Community Hospital for lengthy treatment to her injuries, the court heard.

As well as being fined, Martin had five penalty points put on his licence.

The court heard that Royal Mail staff face disciplinary procedures, with the potential of dismissal, if they get six penalty points on their licences.

CHANGE OF PLEA TO NOT GUILTY

A Hawick woman has withdrawn her guilty plea to a charge of wasting police time.

Kylie Gray, 27, had previously admitted falsely claiming her bag had been stolen and rendering others liable to suspicion and accusation of theft at her home in McLaren Court on Thursday, May 12.

But after taking legal advice, she was allowed to change her plea to not guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

A trial date has now been fixed for Tuesday, January 10, with an intermediate hearing on Monday, December 12.

MAN FACING SIX DRUGS CHARGES

Fresh trial dates have been fixed in the case of a Hawick man accused of six drugs offences.

Mark Turnbull, 29, is charged with producing cannabis at his Cheviot Road home in September last year.

He also denies being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of diazepam, nitrazepam, tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol.

The trial will now take place at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday, January 10, with an intermediate hearing on Monday, December 12.

22-YEAR-OLD SET TO GO ON TRIAL

Steven Gorman, 22, of Eildon Road, Hawick, will face trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on charges of threatening or abusive behaviour, possession of a knife and obstructing police in Hawick on October 3 last year.

The case will call on Thursday, November 3.

MAN ADMITS HAVING HEROIN

An Eyemouth man found in possession of heroin admitted spending between £40 and £60 a day on the class-A drug.

Dougal Windram, 41, of Chapel Street, pleaded guilty to committing the offence at Bennison Square, Eyemouth, on Thursday, April 21.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told seven wraps of brown powder were found, together valued at £150.

Sentence was deferred until Monday, October 31, for a personal appearance.

TEENAGER DENIES OFFENCE

Teenager Kaitlyn Shell, of Maxmill Park, Kelso, will stand trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, December 15, on a charge of behaving in a threatening manner, and shouting and swearing.

The 19-year-old denies the offence, said to have happened in Callercove Crescent, Eyemouth, on Monday, June 13.

WOMAN BANNED FOR 18 MONTHS

An Earlston woman refused to give samples of breath when suspected of drink-driving and has now been banned from the road for 18 months.

Julie Taylor, 49, pleaded guilty to failing to co-operate with a preliminary breath test at her Haughhead home on saturday, May 28.

She admitted failing to provide two samples of breath at Galashiels police station too.

Taylor was also given a community payback order involving supervision for the next 15 months.

FURY AT MOBILE MESSAGES

A jealous window cleaner involved in two bust-ups with a former partner after reading the contents of her mobile phone messages was fined £200.

John Szkudro even got the details of the phone’s lock codes from their children so he could keep tabs on what she was up to – despite them having split up two months earlier.

The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening or abusive behaviour at a house in Croft Road, Kelso, on Thursday, January 7, by breaking the phone by throwing it against a wall and pushing his former partner onto a sofa.

Sheriff Peter Paterson imposed the fine after being told that Szkudro, of Bongate, Jedburgh, had been of good behaviour for the past six months.

PARTNER DENIES VIOLENT STRUGGLE

A man appeared from custody to deny struggling violently with his partner.

David Luke, 36, is alleged to have committed that offence at their home in Douglas Place, Galashiels, on Saturday.

A trial date was fixed for Thursday, December 22, with an intermediate hearing on Monday, November 21.

MAN ACCUSED OF STALKING

An Eyemouth man is facing a stalking charge.

John Rutherford, 43, of Bennison Square, denies sending a woman messages on social media and repeatedly turning up in the road where she lives and loitering there.

A trial date was set for Jedburgh Sheriff Court on January 12, with an intermediate hearing on December 12.

NO PLEA MADE TO SWORD CLAIM

A 54-year-old appeared in private at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Monday accused of assaulting a man to his injury and robbing him in Hawick at the weekend.

Edward Tamms, of Weensland Road, Hawick, is also accused of possession of a sword.

He made no plea or declaration, and the case was continued for further examination.

Tamms was remanded in custody.

THREE FACING THREAT CHARGES

Three men have been accused of threatening or abusive behaviour in their home street of Orchard Park in Kelso on Tuesday, August 16.

Kevin Henderson, 35, Steven Hunter, 44, and Stuart McLarty, 46, will stand trial on January 10 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 12.

SENTENCE DEFERRED

Sentence has been deferred on Mark McCarry, 21, for four months after he admitted being in possession of £75 worth of heroin at his home in Mansfield Crescent, Hawick, on Friday, June 3. He was told that if he is of good behaviour it is likely he will be ordered to carry out unpaid work.

WOMAN BAILED TO MUM’S HOME

Shannon Reid denies charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and damaging property at Gasworks Cottages, Eshiels, on Sunday.

The 21-year-old appeared from custody.

A trial date was set for December 22 with an intermediate hearing on November 11.

She was bailed to her mother’s home in Connor Street, Peebles.

DENIES POLICE STRUGGLE

A Kelso man has been accused of three counts of kicking and damaging vehicles in a street in the town.

Rutter Neeme, 31, of Sydenham Court, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of struggling violently with two police constables on Saturday, June 11.

A trial date has been set for Tuesday, November 15.

INTERMEDIATE HEARING

Jay Watson, 19, of West Myrescroft, Ancrum, will stand trial on a charge of stalking two people over a period of almost five months at various locations in the Borders.

He is also accused of driving dangerously on the A68.

A trial was fixed for a date in December at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on Monday, November 14.

SOCIAL MEDIA THREATS TO PAIR

A 24-year-old has admitted threatening a man and woman with violence via social media messages.

Aaron Atkinson, 24, of Allars Bank, Hawick, pleaded guilty to placing the pair in a state of fear and alarm.

The offence happened at Bourtree Place in Hawick on Sunday, July 24.

Sentence was deferred until Monday, October 31, for a personal appearance.

ACCUSATION OF AGGRESSION

Edward Berry, 63, of Boonraw Road, Hawick, will stand trial at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday, January 12, on a charge of acting in an aggressive manner towards his wife at her house in Home Place, Coldstream, on Wednesday, September 21.

A host of Melrose menfolk have agreed to grin and bare it in a bid to raise funds for a new charity set up to address mental health and social isolation issues.

Priorwood Wellbeing Centre, a charity set up in June, is raising money to convert part of Priorwood House in Melrose into a wellbeing hub.

It needs to find £25,000, and it has recruited male models from the town to help it hit that target.

Sylvie Szanel, a reiki therapist from Newtown, is behind the project, intended to offer therapy and support to people experiencing mental health issues or social isolation on a self-referral basis.

Sylvie said: “I have worked as a therapist in Melrose for the last three years, and it is so clear that there is a big need for this. Priorwood sits in quiet grounds and is ideal for what we do. It’s very peaceful and calm.”

The charity’s Men of Melrose calendar, featuring 24 male townsfolk and scenery including Rhymers Stone and Leaderfoot Bridge, is being launched tomorrow at Melrose Rugby Club between 7pm and 9pm. Entry to the event is free, and guests can enjoy a bar and buffet while learning more about the charity and meeting the models, all fully clothed on this occasion.

“They didn’t take a lot of persuasion, and we have men of all ages and all shapes in the calendar,” Sylvie added. “We have something for everyone.”

The calendars, priced £15, are on sale at Melrose’s Enchanted Clothes, Bank House Living and Simply Delicious shops, as well as the rugby club and post office.

The centre, opening in February, will include four complementary therapy rooms and spaces for counselling, sound and art therapy, along with a bistro and a shop.

A new artwork designed to welcome train travellers to Galashiels was unveiled without planning permission, its creators have admitted.

A retrospective planning application was submitted to Scottish Borders Council this week, over two weeks after the artwork was officially unveiled.

The Douglas Bridge mural, depicting the Flying Scotsman’s return to the Borders, was unveiled by Lord David Steel on Saturday, October 1, during the inaugural Creative Coathanger festival.

The application states that the reason behind the mural being intalled ahead of applying for permission was due to “a delay in obtaining information and a revision to opening date to coincide with a creative event held within the town”.

Edinburgh artist Chris Rutterford was commissioned by Energise Galashiels to create the artwork, and he told us: “We didn’t want to start the project until we knew it was all going to be OK.

“From the outset, we had the verbal OK, so I think this is a box-ticking exercise, so hopefully Energise Galashiels and the council’s aims are the same.

“It is all real people that are in the mural, so they are just as emotionally invested in the project as me.

“They are a part of the town’s future, and I like to think that something like this won’t become an issue.”

Mr Rutterford hopes to extend the mural next spring, if consent is granted, adding a further 150 faces.

The retrospective application was submitted by Galashiels-based Cameron Facilities.

Engineering and motor vehicle students from Borders College in Galashiels travelled to Aintree in Liverpool for the Greenpower Racing Championships after building an electric racing car.

They raced against fellow competitors from as far away as Poland, with a total card of more than 60 teams.

Racing in the class for 16-25 year olds, the Borderers’ car managed an average speed of 15mph, placing them in the middle of the table.

College lecturer Graham Archibald went on to say: “One of the star drivers of the day was Holly Hancock, who started 15th on the grid, but drove like Jensen Button, passing the likes of the Jaguar Land-Rrover graduate team, to squeeze her way to third position on the first bend.”

The icing on the cake for the team – the only one from Scotland – was when they were given the overall spirit of green power award.

A Maori flag captured in an 1865 battle and held in a Hawick museum collection is being returned to New Zealand.

The repatriation of the flag was unanimously approved by Scottish Borders Council last year following an official approach from Mike Spedding, director of the Wairoa Museum in Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island.

Mr Spedding’s request was made on behalf of descendants of noted Maori leaders involved in the Battle of Omaruhakeke.

It was accompanied by letters from descendants, including a fourth-generation descendant of Ihaka Whaanga, a Maori leader who fought alongside the crown forces and is said to have captured the flag.

Scottish Borders Council and Live Borders held a ceremony on Wednesday at Hawick Museum to hand the flag over to one of the Maoris’ descendants, Nigel William How, and he said: “We live in a time where the ghosts of the past are now being laid to rest through the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.

“This is not only between crown and Maori in general, but also between Maoris ourselves in acknowledging and embracing the different decisions and actions our ancestors undertook.

“Genuine resolution of all these matters has been a long time coming.”

The flag was donated to Hawick Museum in 1921 by local artist Tom Scott, having been presented to him by the secretary at Government House in Hawke’s Bay.

The reasons for the flag’s presentation to Mr Scott, and for his gifting of it to Hawick Museum, are unknown.

Following the approach by Wairoa Museum, councillors agreed that there was no good reason, apart from Mr Scott’s connection to Hawick and the Scottish Borders, for the flag to be part of the local museum collection.

Selkirkshire councillor Vicky Davidson, the authority’s executive member for culture, sport, youth and communities, said: “The decision to repatriate the flag to New Zealand was taken following careful consideration by the council, whose elected members felt that the social, political and spiritual case was strong.

“The descendants of those involved in the 1865 battle, whose letters formed part of the repatriation request, believe it will be a powerful symbol in resolving long-standing grievances between the crown and Maori, and between Maoris themselves.”

“We have been assured that the flag will be carefully conserved, displayed and interpreted as the centrepiece of a newly refurbished gallery at Wairoa Museum and are pleased that it will be available for the whole community to enjoy there.”

Scottish Borders Council’s licensing board is being urged to reject applications for bars selling booze at two Galashiels Halloween parties for children.

The police and licensing standards officer Ian Tunnah have lodged objections to both bids to be considered when the board meets at Newtown tomorrow.

The first of the events will be held at St Margaret’s RC Primary School on Friday, October 28, from 7pm until 9pm.

In her submission, applicant Nicola Douglas says an attendance of around 80 is expected – and half of those will be children aged under 15.

However, she stresses that the proposed bar for the adults will be in the school kitchen, next to the gym hall where the party, featuring a disco and games, will take place, and no children will be permitted into the bar area.

Despite that assurance, Mr Tunnah is urging councillors to refuse the application, citing the board’s adopted policy statement aimed at protecting children from harm.

The policy states: “The board accepts many fundraising and community events benefit from granting an occasional licence but would expect any organisation considering applying to take into account whether or not it is appropriate to have the sale of alcohol forming part of the event with particular regard to the licensing objective of protecting children from harm.

“This should be particularly considered for child-centred events related to school, youth or sporting organisations.” Mr Tunnah comments: “This event could well be such a child-centred event.

“To grant a licence for such an event would be contrary to the board’s policy statement.”

The same policy is cited by the police in their objection to the school’s application.

The board will also consider a bid from the MacArts Centre in Galashiels.

It wants an occasional drinks licence to cater for a Halloween-themed family event billed as a rave, organised by independent franchise Big Fish Little Fish, on Saturday, October 29, from 2pm until 4.30pm.

It will be the second visit to the venue for the organisers after they failed in a previous attempt to get an alcohol licence for a similar event in July.

The police, Mr Tunnah and Tim Patterson, the region’s director of public health, have all lodged objections.

With or without the licence, the ticketed and stewarded event – aimed at adults from the clubbing generation and children aged under eight – will still go ahead.

A Hawick nightclub boss is challenging the status of Galashiels as the only town in the Borders where weekend revellers can drink until 3am.

Neil Gillies, licensee of Base, where the bar shuts at 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, is asking tomorrow’s meeting of Scottish Borders Council’s licensing board for a permanent amendment to his operating plan, giving him an extra hour on both nights.

That would give his Baker Street premises parity with the two nightspots in Overhaugh Street, Galashiels.

It will be the third time that Mr Gillies has sought a level playing field from the board, which, in 2013, decreed that any applications for extensions beyond 2am would only be granted in “exceptional circumstances”.

Galashiels, however, is exempt from that otherwise region-wide policy because it is a university town.

In February 2014, the board, despite objections from the police, agreed to depart from this restriction and give Mr Gillies his 3am extension for a trial period.

But when he sought to make this temporary arrangement permanent in February, 2015, some local residents objected, citing issues with noise, litter and anti-social behaviour, and the board refused his application.

Since then, Mr Gillies has successfully applied for occasional 3am extensions to cover special events in Hawick, including the common riding, the town rugby club’s annual sevens tournament and Hogmanay.

The police have objected to the new bid, although they acknowledge Mr Gillies has worked with local officers during the dispersal from his premises to encourage punters to leave the area quietly.

“Due to competing demands on limited police resources, it is not always possible to have officers in the area at closing time,” state the police.

Dr Tim Patterson, the region’s joint director of public health, has also objected, claiming there are three times the number of alcohol-related anti-social behaviour incidents in Hawick than the Borders average.

But Ian Tunnah, Scottish Borders Council’s licensing standards officer, has declined to object, noting instead that “there would appear to have been no increase in disturbance, disorder or complaints linked to the premises as a result of the late-hour extensions which have been granted”.

Live Borders has moved to reassure users about the safety of its 3G surface in Netherdale, Galashiels, after tests in Holland led to several pitches being ripped up.

The home ground of Gala Fairydean had its all-weather surface installed in 2011, and it has proved popular with players, but it is also used by hundreds of children and other members of the public every week.

But a report in the Sunday Telegraph last weekend told how the pitches at the Ajax academy De Toekomst in Amsterdam were being removed, over fears that the rubber crumb infill used there contained carcinogens, following the airing of a documentary on Dutch TV reporting that some of the rubber used in pitches had come from pipes used in the petrochemical industry.

The installation of 3G pitches in Holland is big business, and more than 2,000 of them have been built in the past 10 years.

It is so popular that half a dozen sides in the Eredivisie – the Dutch top league – have had the 3G pitches installed.

However, it is claimed that the safety checks on the rubber crumb infill, and on what kind of rubber is used, are more stringent in the UK than in Holland.

A spokesman for Live Borders told us this week: “The 3G pitch at Netherdale is a great asset to the community.

“We take guidance on the safety of all facilities we offer from recognised authorities and have also consulted with the Scottish Football Association. Extensive research conducted into the safety of artificial surfaces by government agencies around the world, and undertaken by independent experts – has all validated the safety of 3G pitches and the crumb rubber infill as used in the UK.”

However, the report in the Sunday Telegraph showed that a former NHS trust chief executive in Leeds, Nigel Maguire, has been campaigning against 3G pitches since his son Lewis, an 18-year-old goalkeeper, contracted white blood cell cancer Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

And the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has urged a full investigation into 3G pitches and has stated that he would prefer the £4bn set aside for development over the next 10 years to be invested in natural surfaces.

Jedburgh man Mark Cranston was presented with a Scottish Heritage Angel Award in recognition of his research into the Scottish brick industry.

As reported in The Southern last month, Mark’s huge collection of Scottish bricks and his work towards documenting the country’s rich history of brick-making had caught the eye of award organisers.

And at a special ceremony at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms last Tuesday, hosted by author and broadcaster Vanessa Collingridge, he won the Investigating and Recording category.

Mark said: “I’m delighted to get the award, but even happier that the former brick and tile manufacturing industry in Scotland is getting the recognition it deserves.

“I would like to say a big thanks to all those many people who helped with the project by donating bricks and memorabilia, or pointing me in the right direction of where to find them, or indeed supplying information on the old brick works.

“Every day I’m contacted by people across Scotland, and from around the world, which just demonstrates the impact of this now-forgotten industry on our country, and the industrial revolution across the globe.

“I hope to continue this project for many years to come and build our understanding of this important aspect of Scottish history, and as such I would encourage anyone with an interest in this topic, big or small, to please get in touch.”

The winners were decided by a judging panel consisting of Professor John Hume (OBE), conservation architect Andrew Wright (OBE), Georgia Vullinghs, of the Scotland’s Urban Past Youth Forum, Colin McLean, chair of the Scottish Civic Trust, and Vanessa Collingridge.

The judges said: “We were extremely impressed with Mark’s commitment and dedication to his project.

“This was clearly a real labour of love, but it has created a unique record of Scotland’s brickmarks which will be of great benefit to historians, conservators, architects and many other people working and volunteering in the historic environment.

“Mark’s enthusiasm and single-mindedness shone through. He is a worthy winner.”

During the four years since Mark began his project, he has travelled all over Scotland to gather both information and bricks, trawling libraries and archives, as well as meeting with many people who assist with locating and donating bricks to his cause.

There currently exists no official national record or index of Scottish brickmarks and, prior to Mark’s project, our knowledge extended to just 350 Scottish brick makers. Mark now has more than 2,000 examples, so has expanded understanding on the subject considerably.

Other nominees in the Investigating and Recording category included a project by the residents of Baberton Mains History Group in Edinburgh to research and record the reminiscences of original occupants of the Baberton Mains houses as well as the history of the estate itself and the land on which it is built; and the How Old Are Yew? project in Castlemilk, Glasgow, which was formed to research and share the history of the now-demolished Castlemilk House and its grounds, which form Castlemilk Park. Both initiatives received a commendation from the judges.

John Pelan, Director of the Scottish Civic Trust, added: “The Angel Awards are proof of the amazing work done by thousands of heritage volunteers across Scotland. Their achievements are of great benefit, in economic, social and cultural terms, to Scotland’s historic environment. The awards are an opportunity to highlight their efforts and acknowledge their commitment, passion and enthusiasm. We are very grateful to the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation for their support for these unique awards.”

The awards are delivered in partnership between the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, the Scottish Civic Trust, Historic Environment Scotland, Archaeology Scotland and the Scottish Government.

To view the full details and to watch the films of the inaugural Scottish Heritage Angel Awards winners please visit www.scottishheritageangelawards.org.uk

Three thugs launched an unprovoked attack on a woman near Hawick town centre in broad daylight, leaving her with facial injuries requiring hospital treatment.

The 27-year-old was assaulted while walking along the Loan, near its junction with Beaconsfield Terrace, at about 1pm on Friday, October 14.

Two men and a woman are said to have set upon her, punching and kicking her to the head and body, inflicting injuries necessitating treatment at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

The attack, because it was carried out in the middle of the day and not far from the town centre, is believed to have been witnessed by several passers-by, and police are urging them to get in touch to help them identify the attackers and bring them to justice.

The three assailants are described only as being white and aged between 35 and 40.

Constable Ryan Anderson, of Hawick police station, said: “This appears to have been a completely unprovoked assault that left the victim with some painful injuries to her face.

“We are pursuing a number of local inquiries to trace the people who carried out the attack and would ask anyone who saw what happened to contact us immediately.

“It is believed there were a number of members of the public in the area at the time, and if you have information relating to this incident, then please get in touch.”

Potential witnesses can contact Police Scotland on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

I am sure we are not unique in regularly being completely full and also having an ever growing waiting list of pets, and their owners, in real need of help.

In most rescue centres I am sure they will feel just like us - sometimes it feels that we could do with a centre twice as big!

Building additional accommodation that is suitable for cats, dogs and rabbits costs a fortune. All pens and kennels need to be fully designed and built to meet the highest animal welfare standards and with this comes expense and time to put them together.

If people call to place their pet with us when we are full, and have long waiting lists, we sometimes suggest that we could put the details of the animal, along with photos, onto the Home from Home section on our Facebook site. The downside to this though is that we don’t have any control or responsibility over the re homing process.

Far better is to have a network of foster families who could help out, either with new animals or with animals that are struggling to cope with centre life. We would come to do a quick home check, just to make sure that you have what we are looking for and to give you a rundown on how the process would work.

This really is such an important option for us to have available. It would mean that we could help so many more pets and their owners who find themselves in a position where they are no longer able to look after their, often much loved family pet. We are desperately short of foster families, especially for dogs, so if you feel you could help please do get in touch.

The weekend turned out to be typically autumnal, with heavy showers and sunny spells – not bad enough to keep me indoors when the trees are at their glorious best.

I decided to have a walk round Selkirk’s Haining estate but despite not wearing the most appropriate footwear, I was still able to take in the beautiful autumn colours on the way round the loch.

The great crested grebes which nested there earlier in the year were still there but reduced in number. I saw just one adult and two of the original three juveniles, but that is not to say the others perished. Although newly-hatched young will often be fed by one parent while resting on the other’s back, a feature of later parenting is not teamwork but ‘brood-splitting’, in which each parent takes sole custody of its allotted part of the brood, ignoring the others, so the others could still be around.

I have started to step up my feeding regime in the garden for the birds. I usually restrict them to one peanut feeder during the summer, just to keep them coming to the garden, but now I start to reintroduce the fat balls, half coconuts and various seed dispensers. One problem I have had is the mess caused by spillage from seed feeders. This year I decided to put on my thinking cap and try and reduce the problem, so I have invented the ‘Seed Waste Inhibitor For Tits and Sparrows’ or SWIFTS for short!

I started with my plastic feeder with Perspex sides and access holes at the bottom, three short pieces of thin wire and a large stainless steel dog’s dish. I made three evenly spaced holes round the rim of the dish and several in the bottom to allow water to drain away. I made three small holes in the base of the feeder then linked them to the holes in the dish with about six inches of wire, so that the dish could hang level under the feeder. The whole job took about 20 minutes.

A motorist stopped by police outside Jedburgh Sheriff Court drove off while a sergeant’s hand was still in the vehicle.

The officer wanted to speak to 23-year-old Alyxs Millar about suspected driving offences, but he fled the scene, leaving the sergeant sprawled on the ground.

Millar, of Queens Drive, Hawick, returned to Jedburgh Sheriff Court and pleaded guilty to a charge of culpably and recklessly driving while the sergeant had his hand within the vehicle, whereby he fell onto the road, all to his danger and injury. He also admitted driving with no insurance and no L plates while being a provisional licence holder. Millar also pleaded guilty to damaging property by smashing a window in Burns Road, Hawick, on August 2 while on bail.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said the incident involving the police happened just outside the courthouse.

He explained: “People were looking for a lift to the court and he took a chance. Police officers stopped him and he panicked.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence on Millar until November 14 for a criminal justice social work report to be prepared, as well as a restriction-of-liberty order assessment.

ARREST WARRANT ISSUED

A 22-year-old man has been charged with wasting the emergency services’ time by falsely claiming he needed rescued from the Eildon Hills.

Michael Cumisky, of Cadogan Street, Middlesborough, is accused of causing annoyance and inconvenience to members of the fire service, Scottish Ambulance Service, Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team and the police by sending messages he knew to be false, stating that he had fallen and was injured, immobilisied and needed to be rescued, when the truth was he had not fallen, was uninjured and did not need to be rescued.

The offence is said to have happened on July 9.

He previously pleaded not guilty to the charge and a trial date was fixed for November 22. But he failed to show for his intermediate hearing at Selkirk Sheriff Court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

TEENAGER MUST BEHAVE HIMSELF

A Peebles teenager who admitted threatening or abusive behaviour towards his mother has been ordered to be of good behaviour for the next six months.

The 17-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of vodka from Sainsbury’s in Peebles on the same day, October 1.

COMMUNITY PAYBACK ORDER

A 21-month community payback order has been imposed on a 27-year-old man at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Michael Wheaton pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting staff members at Morrison’s store in Hawick on May 14. He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner in the Scottish Borders Council offices in Paton Street, Galashiels, on May 26 by shouting and swearing, challenging staff to fight and throwing a bottle. The following day he made a telephone call to a council employee which contained offensive remarks, and he also threatened a police constable and his family.

Wheaton, who gave an address in Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, was told the community payback order was an alternative to a fine.

CANNABIS CULTIVATOR

A 38-year-old man produced cannabis at his home in Buccleuch Road, Selkirk.

Karl Brown pleaded guilty at the town’s sheriff court to the offence which happened on July 24.

Sentence was deferred until November 22.

January trial date

A 22-year-old man will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on January 17 accused of being in charge of a car while unfit through drink or drugs on the A72 near Cardrona.

Ryan Fisher, of James Lean Avenue, Dalkeith, also denies being in possession of cannabis on May 28.

An intermediate hearing has been set for December 19.

VEHICLE STRUCK PEDESTRIAN

A motorist reversed onto a pavement and collided with a 66-year-old man who suffers from muscular dystrophy, Jedburgh Sheriff Court has been told.

The man was walking on crutches in Harbour Road, Eyemouth, on March 3 when the incident happened.

Driver Hylton Burdon, 62, then struck a parked vehicle a short distance away, causing around £60 worth of damage.

He was later found by police sleeping in the vehicle.

Burdon, of Main Street, Cornhill-on-Tweed, pleaded guilty to charges of careless driving and not having the appropriate licence.

His lawyer, Natalie Patterson, said Burdon claimed the power steering was broken and the vehicle could not be controlled. But procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said this had not been mentioned at the time of the offence and two witnesses suspected Burdon had been drinking.

Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence until November 14 to establish whether the claim that the defect on the power steering was genuine.

DENIES

DRINK-DRIVING

Bartlomiej Matera, 33, denies drink-driving in his home street of Beech Avenue, Galashiels, on July 30.

He also pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to tell police the identity of a car driver.

The trial is scheduled for Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 22.

ASSAULT

CASE

James Johnston, 25, will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 22 on a charge of assaulting his partner at a house in Weirgate Brae, St Boswells, on July 26 last year by spitting on her head and seizing her by the neck.

INTERMEDIATE HEARING

A 30-year-old man has denied three offences at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Daniel Pierrepont, of Grantham, Norfolk, is alleged to have been in possession of heroin, cannabis and a knuckleduster at a house in Glendinning Terrace, Galashiels, on July 30. His co-accused, Nacisha Todd, 20, denies being in possession of cannabis at her Glendinning Terrace home.

A trial date was set for January 17 at Selkirk Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 19.

ACCUSED OF SPEEDING

Michael Rouse, 63, from Rigside, Lanarkshire, is accused of speeding at 42mph in Ettrick Terrace, Selkirk, having a faulty handbrake and driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

The offences are alleged to have been committed on June 20.

The trial is set for January 17 at Selkirk Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 19.

GALASHIELS CHEF IN CUSTODY

A chef who assaulted two police officers after they apprehended him for being outwith his home curfew has been remanded in custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Michael Brown, 22, was spotted by the police during the early hours of Sunday morning in High Street, Peebles.

A check revealed there was a court order meaning he should have been at his home address in Hawthorn Road, Galashiels, at that time.

But as officers tried to put handcuffs on him, Brown repeatedly headbutted and kicked one officer and was finally taken to the ground where he attempted to bite the officer and his colleague.

Sheriff Peter Paterson told Brown he had tested the patience of the court and said he had already been warned what would happen if he appeared again.

He refused a motion for bail and sentence was deferred until November 7 for background reports.

EXCESS ALCOHOL ALLEGATION

Alison Mitchell, 55, of Muir Drum Avenue, Glasgow, will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 22 on a charge of driving while almost three times the legal alcohol limit on the A701 at Broughton on August 12.

CONTINUED WITHOUT PLEA

Daniel Hamilton, 28, c/o Edinburgh Prison, is charged with stealing alcohol from the Co-op in Gala Park, Galashiels, on July 15. His case was continued without plea at Selkirk Sheriff Court until November 7.

DISQUALIFIED FOR 40 MONTHS

A disqualified driver was found to be almost three-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit when he was stopped in Galashiels.

Aramis Czyz, 34, pleaded guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court to driving with a breath/alcohol count of 78 microgrammes – the legal limit being 22 – in Winston Place and his home street of Beech Avenue, both Galashiels, on May 28.

He is currently serving a 20-month ban.

Czyz also admitted charges of driving while disqualified and with no insurance.

Sheriff Peter Paterson imposed a ban of 40 months and he was also given a 12-month community payback order with supervision.

ST BOSWELLS MAN FACES TRIAL

A St Boswells man will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on a charge of embarking on a course of conduct which caused his former partner fear and alarm.

Alan Cairney, 31, of Springfield Terrace, pleaded not guilty to struggling violently with his ex to her injury, shouting, swearing, throwing stones at the window of her Newtown St Boswells property and making abusive comments.

The offence is said to have been committed between February 13 and March 30.

The trial date was set for January 7, with an intermediate hearing on December 19.

BACKGROUND REPORTS

Background reports have been ordered into a man who admitted causing damage in the cells area of Selkirk Sheriff Court and being in possession of an offensive weapon.

Rory Morrison, 29, previously of Galashiels, and now living in Duns, pleaded guilty to having a perspex sheet on April 14. He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, shouting and swearing, brandishing the perspex sheet and breaking a counter in the interview room in the cells complex.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said: “I will call for background reports to see if there is an alternative to a custodial sentence.”

The case will recall on November 21.

OFFENDER’S

‘LAST CHANCE’

A Galashiels man who behaved in a threatening or abusive manner towards his partner in the town’s St Andrew Street on July 27 has been warned he is on his final chance.

Frederick Jenkins, 46, of Laidlaw Court, who pleaded guilty, was told by Sheriff Peter Paterson: “This is effectively your fourth conviction. This is your last chance as far as a domestic offence is concerned.”

He was ordered to carry out 210 hours’ unpaid work and placed on supervision for 21 months.

ADMONISHED

Oktawiusz Pastuszko, 35, of Broom Drive, Galashiels, was admonished at Selkirk Sheriff Court after being of good behaviour during a period of deferred sentence.

He previously admitted shouting and swearing, and making offensive comments to his wife on June 9.

TEENAGER

ON TRIAL

A teenager will stand trial at Selkirk Sheriff Court on two charges.

Lace Farrell, 18, of Torwoodlee Road, Galashiels, is alleged to have used threatening or abusive behaviour, shouted and swore, and repeatedly demanded money from her partner.

She is also accused of wilfully and recklessly damaging property by striking a car.

Farrell pleaded not guilty to both charges and a trial date was set for Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 24.

ACCUSED OF ATTACKING HIS EX

A Jedburgh man appeared from custody at the town’s sheriff court accused of a domestic assault.

Gary Forrest, 30, of Rennieston, pleaded not guilty to assaulting his former partner, Julie Young, by repeatedly pushing her on the body whereby she fell against a staircase, seizing her by the throat and pushing her against a wall and repeatedly punching her on the head and body.

The offence is said to have been committed at a house in Harleyburn Drive, Melrose, and in The Abbey car park in Melrose last Wednesday.

A trial date was fixed for January 19 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on December 19.

CHARGED WITH POLICE ASSAULT

A teenager has been accused of wiping blood on a police constable during a disturbance inside the Jedburgh Sheriff Court building.

David Scougall, 18, of Gala Park Court, Galashiels, appeared from custody back at the same courthouse on Thursday and denied assaulting the officer on the previous day.

Scougall also denies injuring two police officers by struggling violently with them, kicking and attempting to headbutt them, and also behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by challenging the officers to fight.

He also pleaded not guilty to struggling with ambulance personnel and police officers in a police vehicle in Hawick on March 5 and failing to appear in court on two occasions.

A trial date was fixed for November 17 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court, with an intermediate hearing on October 31.

A motion for bail was refused and Scougall was remanded in custody by Sheriff Peter Paterson.

CAUGHT BY DRUGS RAID

A police raid on a house in Hawick recovered cannabis valued at £665, Jedburgh Sheriff Court has been told.

Jori Silver’s Princes Street home was targeted as part of Operation Gatekeeper, with five other properties raided in Hawick on the morning of March 18.

He pleaded guilty to possession of 85 grammes of the class B drug.

Silver, 23, was told by Sheriff Peter Paterson that he was “lucky” the Crown accepted a not-guilty plea on a charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis, given the amount of drugs recovered.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow said Silver had weight problems and he used cannabis to help with his appetite, and he also suffered from severe arthritis.

Sheriff Paterson told him: “You may think it is acceptable to smoke cannabis for therapy purposes, but society does not.

“Other medication which can be prescribed by a doctor is preferable.”

Silver was fined £200.

ROW MARKED MARRIAGE’S END

A Hawick man who used threatening behaviour towards his wife after she dumped his possessions on the pavement outside their home has been fined £225 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

David Irvine, 49, now living in Burnfoot Road, pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing, and acting in a threatening and abusive manner towards his wife, Patricia, in Silverbuthall Road on August 7.

The court was told the incident marked the end of the couple’s 14-year marriage.

DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE

A Hawick man appeared from custody at Selkirk Sheriff Court on Monday and admitted committing a domestic offence at the weekend.

John Donaldson, 48, behaved in a threatening or abusive manner at a house in Ivanhoe Terrace, Hawick, during the early hours of Saturday morning by shouting and swearing, and uttering threats of violence.

Depute procurator fiscal Kirsty Lyons said police received a 999 call at around 12.50am.

She went on: “They went to the locus and they were met outside by the accused who engaged in a conversation with them and said he was in a bad way.”

Ms Lyons added: “He said something was going to happen tonight and was unsteady on his feet.

“A short time later a woman – who was an ex-partner of the accused – looked out of the window.

“She had been the one who made the phone call.

“The accused was very agitated and shouted at his ex-partner.

“He said, ‘Shut the f**k up, shut the window or I will f*****g stab you’.

“He was detained at around 1.30am,” the prosecutor concluded.

Defence solicitor Mat Patrick said Donaldson was intoxicated and was involved in an an argument with the woman.

The lawyer explained: “The motivation for saying these things was to make it impossible for the police not to arrest him as he wanted them to take him away.”

Mr Patrick added: “He kept saying he was in a bad way and I understand this to be due to worries over a lack of money over benefits.

“He also had far too much to drink.”

Donaldson was ordered to carry out 70 hours of unpaid work over the next six months as an alternative to being fined.

After the closure of one of Melrose’s banks next week, the town will be left with just one town centre cash machine.

Once the town’s Bank of Scotland branch in Market Square closes on Monday, the ATM there will be removed, the bank confirmed this week.

Lloyds Banking Group, owner of the Bank of Scotland, announced 23 branch closures in August this year and included Melrose in the list compiled as as part of its strategic review.

It claimed that in most cases, the closures were a result of falling footfall due to customers opting for other banking methods such as online.

The closure leaves Melrose with just one hole in the wall 24-hour access cash machine at the Royal Bank of Scotland near the bottom end of High Street. However, the post office can also be used to make cash withdrawals.

Lloyds has submitted an application to Scottish Borders Council’s planning department for permission to remove the ATM, alarm box, security camera and external signage and lighting from the front of the listed building.

The proposals put forward to the council this month will also see any fixing and wiring holes filled with lime mortar to match the existing red sandstone while the old ATM area will be infilled using red sandstone, with lime mortar jointing and pointing to match the rest of the building as closely as possible.

The significant red sandstone building was designed by George Washington Browne in 1897 as a bank and was listed in 1981 at category B.

Lloyds Banking Group also says that all of its Melrose branch customers have been notified of the closure and have been informed of their closest alternative branch.