Police reinforcements were called out to Selkirk Sheriff Court after a disturbance broke out ahead of a trial.

A woman was allegedly intimidating witnesses due to give evidence at her 17-year-old son’s trial.

During the brief altercation, the woman was shouting and swearing on the first-floor hallway of the Ettrick Terrace building outside its witness rooms before court officials intervened.

Two police vans appeared on the scene shortly afterwards, and the woman was arrested.

Her son was due to stand trial accused of sending a female Galashiels Academy pupil, aged 13, an image of his private parts using a mobile phone in February.

The trial was adjourned until July 5 after the defence requested more time to prepare for the trial.

The 17-year-old, who had been remanded in custody for the past 30 days, was released on bail to an address in Macmerry, near Tranent, East Lothian.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “A 39-year-old woman was arrested and subsequently charged in connection with a disturbance at Selkirk Sheriff Court which took place shortly after 11am on Thursday. She is expected to appear in court at a later date.”

A man has been jailed for four months at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for failing to give two specimens of breath after being suspected of drink-driving.

Vincent Cardle, 49, was also banned from the road for two years following the incident at Hawick police station on March 23.

Cardle, of Howegate, Hawick, also admitted failing to stop following an accident in his home town’s Old Manse Lane and driving with no insurance and licence.

Sheriff Donald Ferguson took into account Cardle’s previous convictions before imposing a prison sentence.

The Borders Distillery is now open for business in Hawick’s Commercial Road, and it’s the first to operate in the region for 180 years.

The building, formerly used by engineering firm Turnbull and Scott – is steeped in history, and the Three Stills Company has ensured that many of the original fixtures have been kept in place or re-used.

The original stonework and metal girders blend beautifully with the modern reception area and shop, and it makes for a stunning renovation.

The £10m project will create up to 19 jobs, and it hopes to attract visitors to the town by offering tours of the facility on the hour, every hour during the day, for £12.

We were given a preview tour of the facility by Tim Carton, one of the founders and chief executive officer at the distillery.

He’s a whisky industry veteran, spending 15 years with William Grant and Sons, where, incidentally, the firm’s other three founders – George Tait, Tony Roberts and John Fordyce – were also employed.

The four founders all have a stake in the operation, though finance also came in the form of a Scottish investment fund, as well as private funding from France and Latin America.

Tim said there were many good reasons for opening a distillery in the Borders.

He said: “There were some very convincing arguments for us to look to the Scottish Borders for our distillery –the skilled labour market and textile manufacturing history, particularly in tweed and cashmere, were two big influencing factors, as was ready availability of natural resources and raw materials.”

They are taking a strong ethical stance in that as many of the raw ingredients they use are sourced locally – the malted barley that forms the base of the whisky comes from Duns – and that there is a minimumn of waste, with draff from the mash being sent to local farms for cattle fodder, while the pot ale from the stills is sent off to be made into biogas.

THE BUILDING

The site houses two large sheds, dating from 1888, and a Tudor Cotswold building constructed by Hawick Urban Electric Company in 1903.

The company took the decision to preserve as much of the buildings’ historical features in the redevelopment as they could and, under the guidance of GMA Architects and contractor M & J Ballantyne, signs of that sensitive restoration style are evident throughout.

Tim said: “We haven’t gone out of our way to replace or reconfigure the brickwork. We’ve just let the brickwork itself tell the story,

“We were able to take off some of the cladding to reveal the brickwork, which I think is quite beautiful.

“And because it was the Turnbull and Scott’s engineering works, we decided to keep some other features, such as the crane on the roof, although we don’t use it for anything.

“There were also very large steel girders, which we took out and we re-used them as frames and infrastucture in other parts of the building.”

The process

Outside, there are two huge 30-tonne silos full of malted barley.

The grist, the grain separated from the chaff, is put into a mash-tun five tons at a time with water from the distillery’s own boreholes.

In the tun, the temperature is tightly controlled.

Tim said: “If you get it wrong here, it is very wrong by the time it reaches the other end, so this is very important.”

The mash is rinsed three times with hot water in order to maximise the extraction from the malted barley.

Once everything has been extracted, the mash is moved to large fermentation vats, along with 40kg of yeast.

The ‘beer’ comes out, somewhere between 8.5% to 9% alcohol, and put into a wash still, where it is heated again, and the ‘low wine’ comes out at 30%-31%.

It’s then put through a spirit still, and the so-called heart of the spirit is extracted, while the ‘feints’ are then put through another distillation.

Tim said: “It’s very much a manual distillery, in that we don’t have people sitting behind computers tweaking a mouse.

“Distillers prefer the manual side of it because it gets them more engaged in the process, monitoring things live, up close.

“For the condensers, we draw water from the Teviot as cooling water, and when we put it back into the river, it can be no more than one degree more than when we took it out.

The final spirit, at 70% alcohol, goes into a receiving tank, before being put into casks to be aged in a warehouse just outside town, but some of it goes into a Carterhead still, to make gin, boosted by some locally-sourced botanicals.

Tim said: “There aren’t too many of these Carterhead stills around. It’s specifically to make white spirits, mainly gin.

“Gin can be made in a couple of weeks, so it’s a good way to bring revenue in earlier.

“Consumers are hugely interested in gin, and they are treating it in a different way to before. It’s much like how people look at malt whisky.

“They are far more appreciative of the nuances between one brand and another.

“And with Scotland having such a great heritage of distilling, why not transfer that into gin?

THE TOUR

A tour of the distillery costs £12, at the end of which, visitors will be able to taste whisky while looking at the distillery’s gallery of photos from when the building was in use by radiator manufacturer Turnbull and Scott.

The whisky needs to be in the casks for at least three years, so the company has developed whiskies in another distillery – Clan Fraser Reserve, a blend of grain and malt, and Lower East Side, a blended malt sourced from the Scottish mainland – in the meantime.

Plans to create a haven for rare birds are taking flight now the couple behind them are applying for a zoo licence.

Owen Joiner and Mark Haillay intend to submit a licence application to Scottish Borders Council for Riggsyde Cottage, Oxton.

Their proposed visitor attraction, a community interest company, is to be called Bird Gardens Scotland.

A £180,000 visitor centre is being built there this year following a crowdfunding appeal being launched in 2016 and planning consent being granted in October last year subject to various conditions.

A flock of flamingos will be the site’s star attraction, but it will be home to hundreds more rare birds too.

Owen said: “We very much intend to work with Chilean flamingos. We’d be hoping to build up a flock of approximately 60 flamingos.

“At the moment, we are finishing the rearing barn that will be used to hatch the eggs when they come in and then rear the birds to a juvenile state, after which they will be moved to the flamingo house and the main lake on site which will be their forever home.

“Flamingos are just one of many species we hope to work with.

“We’re also very keen to work with threatened native species such as capercaillie, black grouse, red squirrel, Scottish crossbill and crested tit.

“Currently, we work with around 400 threatened, rare and endangered birds on site.

“This year, we will focus on getting the visitors’ centre built and opened, and plans for 2019 are to substantially grow and develop in the grounds to incorporate a host of new gardens and birds.

“Bird Gardens Scotland will be a unique visitor destination in the Borders.

“We have a clear mission to work with endangered bird and plant species, including those that are critically endangered, in order to facilitate captive breeding, rearing and propagation programmes.

“By bringing people, plants and birds together in an informative, educational and recreational environment, we aim to raise awareness of the plight of endangered species while generating funds to further our conservation efforts.”

A fledgling version of the bird sanctuary Owen hopes to create, plus an adjoining pottery, is already open to the public, but he now plans to create specialist areas for further species and mammals such as red squirrels, wallabies and pine martens.

Three men have appeared in private at Jedburgh Sheriff Court accused of drugs offences.

It follows proactive work by the newly-formed community action policing team who noticed suspicious activity in the Croft Street area of Galashiels on Monday afternoon.

James Archibald, 44, of Midlothian, is charged with possession of controlled drugs with intention to supply and possession of a knife.

Twenty-six-year old Harrison Long from Galashiels, is accused of being concerned in the supply of controlled drugs, possession with intent to supply and possession of controlled drugs.

Michael Walkingshaw, 25, from Loanhead, faces charges of possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply and possession of controlled drugs as well as attempting to pervert the course of justice.

All three made no plea when they appeared on petition at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday afternoon and their cases were continued for further examination.

Archibald and Walkingshaw were granted bail while Long was remanded in custody by Sheriff Peter McCormack.

The new Scottish Borders Community Action Team, which has been working since the start of April, was unveiled on Monday by Scottish Borders Council which is helping to fund the scheme through a £282,000 investment.

The seven-strong group includes six constables and a sergeant to target issues such as anti-social behaviour and illegal parking.

Officers from the Scottish Borders CAT detained a group of men in a car park on Croft Street after witnessing suspicious activity.

Searches were carried out including a car, and a quantity of heroin, cannabis and a knife were recovered.

A further search was carried out of a house in Croft Street and further cannabis and drugs paraphernalia were seized.

The three men were arrested and kept in custody to appear at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Chief Inspector Andy McLean, local area commander for the Scottish Borders, said:”These arrests demonstrate the breadth of work that the CAT are dealing with.

“In their first few weeks of deployment they have issued more than 90 parking tickets and now removed several thousand pounds’ worth of drugs from our communities and reported suspects in connection with these seizures.

“Both these matters are ones that local people are particularly concerned with and I’m really pleased that the team are proving their worth immediately.”

The principals picked to lead this summer’s Peebles Beltane Festival were announced to a packed-out burgh hall last Friday night.

Mill worker Gregor McGrath and student nurse Loryn Paterson were unveiled as this year’s cornet elect and lass.

And there’s no doubt the pair are a popular choice, with standing room only left in the hall and resounding cheers from townsfolk and visiting principals alike.

A former pupil of Priorsford Primary and Peebles High School, Gregor, 24, works as a warehouse operative at Holland and Sherry textile mill and part-time at the town’s golf club.

Gregor follows in the footsteps of his parents David and Karen McGrath, cornet and lass in 2000 and 2001, his sister Rachel was in the event’s immediate entourage in 2003 and his aunt Susan Bell was crowning lady in 2016.

Gregor is no stranger to the Beltane, having followed the Wednesday night ride before, albeit on push bike and 17 years ago, and has previously appeared as a mouse, sailor and standard bearer.

He is a members of Peebles Callants’ Club and plays football for Tweeddale Rovers Colts.

Gregor said: “I remember sitting in this hall 18 years ago and watching my mum and dad be unveiled as cornet and lass. I feel proud to follow in their footsteps.

“I cannot tell you how happy I am. Anyone who knows me will I know I smile near enough all the time, but that will be nothing compared to the smile on my face when I ride down the High Street on the Wednesday night with the burgh standard.

“I cannot wait to get to know not only my supporters better but all the principals from other towns and to spend the summer representing Peebles.”

Cornet-elect’s lass Loryn is, like Gregor, a gutterbluid, and attended Priorsford Primary and Peebles High School.

Loryn, 24,spent over two years living in New Zealand from 2010 before travelling around south east Asia and returning home to work as manager of the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel.

She is due to graduate from Edinburgh Napier University as a nurse this summer.

Unlike Gregor, she is no stranger to the saddle. She first followed the Beltane on horseback at just three years old and became a member of the Peebles March Riders Association, of which her mum Lynsey is currently chairwoman, at the age of six.

During her primary years, her Beltane appearances included ones as a daffodil and a lady of the court, and she has twice won the callants’ club trophy, in 2015 and 2016.

Loryn told the crowd she was “absolutely buzzing” to be named cornet elect’s lass.

“It’s a lifetime honour and a dream come true,” she said.

“I have ridden the marches for 17 years and have been part of the Beltane Wednesday for 10 years, and I can’t quite believe I will now be leading the ride alongside Gregor. I will do all I can to support Gregor as his lass, and I hope that I do all of you and Peebles proud.”

Also announced at last Friday’s introduction night were the supporting principals.

Lawyer and father-of-three Douglas Neil will be boundary reader; former police chief inspector and vice-chairman of the Beltane committee Douglas Wright will be the warden of Neidpath; and Tweed Theatre stalwart Katharine Mathison will serve as crowning lady. The Rev Barry Hughes will return for the second time as Warden of the Cross Kirk.

Beltane chairman Keith Brunton congratulated the new principals and wished each a successful year in office.

A new adventure activity helping people see the Bowhill Estate from a different point of view is set to get off the ground this weekend.

Wild Tree Adventures, a new business launched by Bowden adventurer Tim Chamberlain this spring will arrive at the estate, near Selkirk, on Saturday.

Business director Tim is branching out on his own, having previously worked as operations manager for the Great Big Tree Climbing Company, the country’s largest recreational tree-climbing firm, and his first session at Bowhill will allow visitors to scale up to 70ft of one of the estate’s 200-year-old oaks.

Tim said: “Tree-climbing is a great way to explore the natural world and at the same time get great exercise and bucketfuls of fresh air.

“We’ll be on hand to supply the equipment required and offer expert guidance.

“Eight people can climb at once, and we can have families together or individuals. You don’t have to come with anyone. If you’re a grown-up, you can come on your own and have a great time.

“We are going to be using very safe and secure rope systems and some special knots.

“We have a hand lock and a foot lock, and we use these to keep everyone safe.

“This activity is available for all people aged six and over, and you don’t have to go at any particular speed.

“You just climb at whatever speed you like, and we will assist you to get as high as you like, or maybe even a bit higher, and then you can sit up there and enjoy the view.”

With a choice of established oaks on the estate, he carefully selected a 200-year-old one for its position and spectacular views of the surrounding countryside from its top.

“We chose this tree after wandering around and looking at some of the special trees at Bowhill,” he added.

“This tree stood out as just an absolutely magnificent specimen.

“It’s got all sorts of big branches that go out to the side which can provide really good attachments points for the climbing lines, but also it’s just got lots of lovely branches to sit on.

“We want to get people high up into the canopy of a fantastic tree. We can get people up about 20 metres in the amazing big oak tree at Bowhill, and it’s a privilege because it’s a tree we would never normally get the chance to climb into.”

Also a qualified zoologist and fine art sculptor, Tim is a self-confessed bird man and has previously worked installing bird boxes around the Bowhill Estate, as well as having counted parrots in the forest islands of north east Bolivia and scaled Scottish sitka to monitor goshawks.

Closer to home, Saturday’s first tree-climbing sessions can accommodate eight people on the hour, each hour.

Rory Powell, countryside learning and engagement ranger at Bowhill, said: “We are very excited to bring something completely different to the Borders.

“Tree-climbing will be a unique way to explore the estate from a different perspective and is sure to offer some spectacular views of the countryside.”

Tree climbing sessions will take place this Saturday, May 5, and again on Saturday, August 11, between 10am and 4pm, costing £20 per session.

For further details, go to wildtreeadventures.com

Biting a police constable’s arm resulted in a £200 fine for Megan White.

The 21-year-old, formerly of Weensland Road, Hawick, but now living in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, had been of good behaviour during a period of deferred sentence.

She had previously pleaded guilty to committing that assault in Havelock Place, Hawick, on March 20 last year.

White was admonished on a second charge of struggling violently with three police constables.

Background reports have been ordered on a Selkirk man after he admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at a former partner’s home.

Alan Purves, of the Linn, pleaded guilty to repeatedly striking the door of a house in Branxholme Road in Hawick on March 10, throwing stones at its windows and sending offensive and threatening messages.

The 26-year-old had sentence deferred at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for reports including an assessment for a domestic violence programme.

A woman assaulted a former partner in a Hawick superstore, Jedburgh Sheriff Court has been told.

Patricia Linton, 42, of Moss Place, Newcastleton, pleaded guilty to pinning Mario Caroboni against fittings in Morrisons, repeatedly spitting on him and punching him to the head on March 6.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said Linton had met her German partner online a year beforehand, and a relationship had developed after they met.

However, that relationship was now over, he said.

Mr Fraser said: “It was around 7.15pm, and staff in Morrisons were alerted to a disturbance.

“They found the accused with her right forearm across his neck and thereafter she spat on him and then punched him in the face.”

Mr Fraser added that they then got into a taxi and left together.

The incident was reported to the police, and Mr Fraser said: “This sort of behaviour in a public place is not acceptable.”

Defence lawyer Ross Dow claimed her partner was “antagonising” her.

The court was told Mr Caroboni has since returned to Germany.

Sheriff Donald Ferguson fined Linton £250.

Scottish Borders Council’s plans to build more than 1,000 affordable homes over the next five years have been given a boost by the announcement that Holyrood will pledge more money to the scheme.

The Scottish Government has allocated a further £900,000 to build affordable homes in the region, with funding for this financial year now up to £14.1m.

The government has also guaranteed increases for the next three years, with funding rising to £14.9m in 2019-20 and £15.9m in 2020-21.

In total it has pledged £44.855m, £898,000 more than the amount predicted last June.

That extra cash has been welcomed by the council following its publication last year of plans to build up to 1,177 affordable homes, costing £174.5m, by 2023.

A council spokesperson said: “This funding, which increases the grant rates per unit, will be used toward the delivery of the ambitious affordable housing targets as set out in our strategic housing investment plan.

“This confirmed funding over three years will allow the council and partners to deliver new affordable homes to meet the needs of local people at all stages of their lives and right across the Scottish Borders.”

The funding will help yield benefits including the provision of extra care housing, starting in Duns and Galashiels.

Announcing the funding this week, Holyrood housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “Affordable housing is about more than just bricks and mortar – it provides safe, warm homes, and delivers great benefits for the Scottish Borders and the country as a whole.”

“We will work in partnership with the council and housing associations to deliver quality homes to meet the needs of the Scottish Borders, backed with financial certainty. It means the council can plan homes now, with a guarantee that funding will increase each year.”

The MS Society’s Borders group has been recognised for its work to improve multiple sclerosis services in the region.

Group committee members Judy Eglinton and Mary Douglas were presented with the prize for campaigner of the year at the annual MS Society Awards in London on Saturday.

Morna Simpkins, director of the society for Scotland, said: “I was delighted to see the campaigning achievement of the MS Society Borders Group recognised at the recent MS Society awards and would like to send my congratulations.

“The group have campaigned tirelessly to improve MS services in the area as well as helping to support people affected by the neurological condition.

“More than 11,000 of us in Scotland live with MS. Groups like the MS Society Borders Group play such an important role in providing that local support to help people live as well as possible with MS.”

Gareth Renwick has never missed a Hawick Common Riding since he first followed on horseback aged just nine, and that’s not about to change any time soon.

Tonight, his lifelong dream came true as he was unveiled to the hundreds of supporters outside his home in the town’s Paterson Gardens as this year’s cornet elect.

The 22-year-old, a keen golfer and member of Hawick Golf Club’s darts team, said his appointment was “a dream come true” and that he “can’t wait to get going” with the busy summer ahead.

“It’s an honour and privilege to be given the opportunity,” he said.

“It’s a select few who get this chance, and it’s a badge of honour to be in that chosen few.

“I first followed behind cornet Jamie Turnbull in 2005 and have not missed a year since.”

A former Drumlanrig Primary and Hawick High School pupil, Gareth has worked as a mechanic at the town’s Barrie Knitwear mill since leaving school four-and-a-half years ago.

He is the first in his family to take on the role of cornet and will be supported throughout the common riding by proud dad Derek, who works for Scottish Borders Council, mum Susan, who works at the town’s William Lockie knitwear factory, and his two younger brothers, Fraser, 20, and Calum, 18.

“They are all very proud and looking forward to it all starting,” Gareth said.

“It will be a great experience for us all, not just me.

“There’s a wee bit of a feeling of nerves just now, but it’s excitement I feel more than anything else.

“I’ve something on almost every night from now until the end of the common riding, but I plan to make the most of it and am looking forward to experiencing a full summer and making new and lifelong friends around the other towns.”

By his side will be this year’s cornet’s lass, his friend Jenny Nichol.

The 21-year-old, of Bailleul Grove, Hawick, comes from a family steeped in common riding history and credentials.

Her father Ian ‘Moose’ Nichol and mother Lesley were cornet and cornet’s lass in 1984. Ian has also previously served as chairman of the common riding committee and is currently its master of ceremonies.

Jenny’s brother Ross carried the banner blue as cornet in 2012 and continues to follow on horseback each year.

The cornet’s acting father and acting mother for 2018 are John and Lynn Lyle.

John, 54, has followed the common riding for almost 42 years, following cornet Charlie McCrerie for the first time in 1975 and he is known in the town as a keen golfer and darts player.

He is a self-employed gardener and has been married to wife Lynn for 31 years. Lynn is a care worker at Hawick’s Deanfield Residential Home and has worked there for 31 years.

Their daughter Jorden, 24, has also followed on horseback in the past but will be supporting by car and foot this year, choosing to steer clear of the saddle as she is due to get married in September.

The pair, entrusted with making sure everything is done right and runs to time, say they are very much looking forward to the coming months.

John said: “I know Gareth as we play at the golf club and play darts together, and also through following the cornet.

“I am there to support Gareth, keep him right and generally be the auld heid.

“It was a total surprise to be asked, and it’s a huge honour.

“Lynn is really looking forward to the summer too.”

The common riding’s chief guest this year is Hawick and Scottish rugby legend Jim Renwick.

Jim, 66, who lives in Hawick’s Buccleuch Street with his partner Jane Gilligan, will address supporters throughout the common riding including at the colour-bussing and in St Leonard’s Hut.

Completing this year’s line-up are right-hand man Ali George, 2017’s cornet, with his lass Katy Moffat and left-hand man Euan Reilly with his lass Lisa McLean.

A 25-year-old man has been ordered to carry out 140 hours’ unpaid work at Jedburgh Sheriff Court for hitting a former partner’s buttocks with a dog lead.

Dylan Scott also punched the woman’s arm to her injury.

That bust-up happened at his home in Burnfoot Road, Hawick, on December 7.

Scott was also placed on supervision for two years.

Behaving in a threatening manner while in possession of a knife has cost a 21-year-old woman a £175 fine.

Leah Dickson pleaded guilty to committing that offence in Forthill Terrace, Jedburgh, on July 4.

Dickson, of Queens Drive, Hawick, was admonished at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on a second complaint of repeatedly striking the windows and doors of a house in Forthill Terrace on May 31 last year.

A 40-year-old man has been ordered to carry out 190 hours’ unpaid work at Jedburgh Sheriff Court after he admitted producing cannabis at his remote Borders home.

Andrew Robson also pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of the class-B drug at East Nisbet Farm Cottages in the hamlet of Nisbet between July 1 and September 6 last year.

Robson was also fined £800.

The 2018 Tweedbank Lad and Lass and their attendants were announced at the village’s community centre on Saturday evening, and all involved are looking forward to a fantastic summer.

The 11-year-olds will be representing the village at this year’s celebrations.

Addison Bell and Lucy Tait got the nod as the main principals – Tweedbank Lad and Lass.

They will be ably supported by first attendants Mateusz Paszkiewicz and Katie Hamilton and second attendants Toby Richardson and Lana Rae.

Fair convener Georgina Boggs said: “The principals are a great mix of young people and are very supportive of each other.

“Addison, well, his grin on the night said it all and Lucy was shocked into being speechless ... which can be hard task for her.

“As convenor, I am very proud to be supporting them all in 2018 and really look foward to welcoming the community and friends to the planned events.

TweedbankFair Week runs from Saturday, May 26, to Saturday, June 2, and loads of activities are planned.

They include a kids’ disco, a family treasure hunt and the annual fancy-dress contest.

Fans of Kelso’s very own ninja warrior, Ali Hay, should set their telly boxes for ITV on Saturday evening at 6.30pm as his opening-round attempt at the fiendish obstacle course race is aired then.

Ali, 29, reached the final stages last year, but his journey there was dogged by illness.

At one stage, he had to be rushed to hospital when he suffered a severe asthma attack following his run.

He says that shouldn’t be an issue this time around.

Ali told us: “I have been putting in a lot of cardio training, and I’ve increased my lung capacity. The asthma is still there, but I’m sure it won’t affect me.”

The Antiques Roadshow arrived in Kelso last year to film a couple of episodes at Floors Castle, and viewers got their first look at what was unearthed on Sunday evening.

Presenter Fiona Bruce raved about the location as hopeful members of the public brought their heirlooms to be valued by experts.

The first antique evaluated was a fairly innocuous-looking glass-blown decorative bird from Venice, brought in by a woman from Edinburgh, which expert Judith Miller– who also hails from the Borders – said matched one in her own collection.

Despite that, she told the owner to her great surprise that it was a very rare piece.

She said: “Today, if you wanted to sell your little chick, he would make between £6,000 and 7,000.”

Another high-priced item was a seventh impression of the third edition of The Hobbit, printed in 1972. This would not have been such a collectable item were it not signed by author JRR Tolkien.

Expert Justin Croft said: “In this condition, with the secure knowledge of its provenance, I would put £6,000 to 7,000 on this.”

It wasn’t all good news, however.

While a rare Rolex watch was valued atup to £30,000, an 18th century jug found in a skip only limped to £200 because of its poor condition.

Perhaps one of the most interesting items was a letter from Borders poet James Hogg, apologising to an Edinburgh host for his uncouth behaviour on a drunken night out.

Fiona said: “A normal letter from Hogg would probably reach £500, but with this fantastic content, maybe up to £2,000.”

The show can be seen on the BBC iPlayer.

A confrontation in the street with a former partner resulted in a fine of £150 for Julie Chalmers at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

The 26-year-old had travelled from her home in Kirkcaldy, Fife, to Berwickshire to track him down.

She pleaded guilty to a charge of shouting and swearing and struggling violently with Craig Mowbray in the car park at the Tavern Bar in Eyemouth on October 17.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said the couple had split up in September after 12 years together, and the complainer now lives on a fishing boat in Eyemouth.

He said: “Her former partner was in a pub in Eyemouth, and he was aware she was outside in the car par park.

“She was there with her former partner’s father.

“The accused approached him and said she wanted a phone back. He tossed it at her, and she seized him by the throat.

‘There was a struggle with her on top, and it came to an end, and she was pulled away.”

The incident was reported to the police.

Chalmers told police she was concerned that her former partner might be driving around under the influence of drugs and was worried that he could fall into the harbour.

She added: “He is not just ruining his life. He has got a daughter.”

Mr Fraser said there had been a history of difficulties in their relationship.

Sheriff Donald Ferguson said that because there had been public expense due to the police getting involved he would impose a fine of £150.