Silent tribute was hailed the most eloquent way of remembering those 100,000 Scots soldiers who lost their lives in World War I, almost a century ago.

That was according to reverend Michael Scouler, who led hundreds of Borderers in a tribute to the Great War dead at Hawick’s Common Haugh on Sunday.

The service, organised by Hawick’s branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland, remembered them and its own 693 World War I dead, with a drumhead service.

Replicating those held on the front line during World War I, when drums piled high and draped with colours were used in place of an altar, the ceremony was the first to be staged in Hawick since 1995 and the only one planned in the Borders this year.

Veterans and representatives from legions across the Borders gathered alongside standard bearers and a massed pipe and drums display for the hour-long open-air ceremony.

Revered Michael Scouler, previously an Army chaplain now chaplain at the Borders General Hospital, conducted the service alongside Rev Lisa-Jane Rankin, minister of Wilton and Teviothead churches, and Captain Caroline Brophy-Parkin of the Salvation Army in Hawick.

He said: “In the 100 years since the great war, just about every word that could be said about it has been said. In some ways silence is more eloquent. Silence is a respectful tribute to what we are remembering today.

“We have gathered, and that is as eloquent as any tribute.

“What pulls you here today was a big bang over 100 years ago, and which still casts a shadow across the world.

“There those who experienced it, it was unimaginably huge. It was as calamitous as anything they could imagine. They could not imagine anything greater, so they christened it the Great War.

“The thing that kept soldiers going was a faith that civilisation would somehow re-emerge better. That it would not happen again. Civilisation would learn. But did it learn? In just two decades time it descended into conflict again.

“We dignify their sacrifice by gathering here today.

“Never again, surely, will the world go to war which such unbridled enthusiasm and joy.”

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The poignant ceremony also featured the first public performance of the song Always a Borderer by Hawick musician Alan Brydon in memory of members of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers killed during the Great War.

Hawick Saxhorn Band provided accompaniment to the hymns before a massed pipe band made up of almost 100 pipers and drummers from across the Borders led a parade along the High Street.

Here, outside the town hall, the salute was taken by Royal British Legion Scotland president Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin, Lieutenant Colonel Colin Hogg, honorary provost of Hawick Watson McAteer and Major John Aitkin, former chairman of the Royal British Legion Scotland.

This autumn will see a range of special services to mark 100 years since the Allies and Germans’ guns finally went silent at the end of the 1914-to-1918 conflict.

Peebles is the only town in the Borders to notch up a hat-trick in the Campaign for Real Ale’s latest Good Beer Guide.

It accounts for three of the region’s 18 entries in the 2019 guide – the County Inn, Cross Keys and Bridge Inn.

Two other towns managed to do the double – Galashiels with the Hunters Hall and Ladhope Inn and Kelso with Rutherfords and the Cobbles.

The Borders’ other entries include the Black Bull Hotel at Duns, Earlston’s Red Lion, Hawick’s Exchange Bar, Leitholm’s Plough Inn, Burt’s Hotel in Melrose, Yetholm’s Plough Hotel and the Gordon Arms Hotel at West Linton.

There is one newcomer among the seven breweries here listed, Campbell’s at Peebles. It joins Born in the Borders near Jedburgh, Freewheelin’ at Peebles, Tempest at Tweedbank, Traquair House near Innerleithen, Broughton Brewery and Old Worthy, also at Broughton.

Rutherfords, in the Square, was named as the Edinburgh and south east Scotland branch of Camra’s Borders pub of the year in February, with the Bridge Inn coming second and the Plough Inn third.

This year’s Good Beer Guide, the 46th, is out now, priced £15.99. For details, go to gbgshop.camra.org.uk

A long-vacant Galashiels store is finally to be brought back into use now a dispute with council planners has been resolved.

Business boss Robin Purdie applied to Scottish Borders Council to convert 37 Bank Street into a mortgage shop but was refused permission despite the building having lain empty for the last two years.

The property, previously home to a greengrocer’s called the Spud Shed, is currently categorised as a retail or food outlet, and converting it into a financial services outlet requires planning consent for change of use.

Mr Purdie, of High Cross Avenue in Melrose, wrote to the council demanding a review, saying: “We are an independent mortgage brokerage and are going to rebrand our company to Borders Mortgage Hub upon moving.

“We are currently based in Edinburgh, but I am a born and bred Borderer who has been arranging mortgages around the Borders for the last 18 years.

“Thus far, change of use has been declined even though the property has been empty and on the market for two years, at least one local person will be recruited upon us arriving, we will bring an awful lot more footfall than the shop has produced over the last two years and our presence will greatly enhance the area.

“Finally, a dog-grooming business was granted planning permission very recently at the next-door property.

“This company appears to be a one-man business, and that property was on the market for a lot less time than No 37.

“As it stands, we find the refusal to be, at best, strange given the point above and, at worst, borderline discriminatory against professional services businesses.

“It does not really give the impression that Galashiels is open to inward investment from businesses that want to relocate there.”

Footfall in Borders town centres has fallen dramatically over the last decade, leading to an increase in empty shops.

Galashiels has been especially hard hit, with a recent survey showing that 37 retail units are currently standing empty in the town centre.

Recently, the council agreed to relax restrictions on businesses opening up in Galashiels as part of a retail pilot aimed at reversing the ongoing  decline in footfall and occupancy rates.

Leisure businesses, professional or financial services and non-residential institutions will now be tolerated along the town’s two main shopping streets, and businesses such as tattoo shops and travel agents will be able to open providing they can prove they will generate footfall.

At a meeting of the council’s local review body today, councillors agreed that the benefits of a shop being occupied far outweigh it staying vacant to comply with red tape and voted to overturn their planning department’s initial refusal.

Jedburgh councillor Scott Hamilton said: “I think this is very straightforward, and I’m leaning towards approval.

“One thing they’ve made clear is that this is not a start-up business. It’s a business which is seven years old, so it has got a base of customers behind it and is already established in that area of work.

“What I would like to note is that there are no appointments needed, meaning the shop will have that extra bit of trade from people just going in for a look. I think that maintains a shop frontage and adds to the retail area.

“On that basis, I think they’ve worked within our new policy and have shown what they could add to Bank Street as a business moving in.”

Galashiels councillor Andy Anderson also spoke in favour of granting approval too, saying: “I’m very much in agreement with what councillor Hamilton is saying. Taking into account our pilot study, I think this is suitable, although, had this been a regular financial services business, I might have a slightly different viewpoint.

“Because this operates as a drop-in service, for me that means it’ll add a certain amount of footfall to the area.”

Councillors voted unanimously to overturn their officers’ decision and grant planning permission to Mr Purdie.

A funeral mourner more than three times the drink-drive limit got involved in a bust-up with his partner on their journey home and ended up being fined £500.

Joshua Reynolds, 31, was attending the funeral of his girlfriend’s grandmother in Grantshouse, Berwickshire, on September 10 and consumed alcohol afterwards at a wake for her, then decided to travel back to his home near Jedburgh.

However, after he was seen staggering coming out of a chip shop in High Street, Earlston, and being sick beside his vehicle, police were alerted.

Reynolds began shouting and swearing at his partner and had to be restrained by a member of the public as he tried to get into his vehicle.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that when police officers arrived, they noticed he smelled of alcohol, but numerous attempts to get him to take a roadside breath test proved unsuccessful.

He was then arrested for failing to provide a sample, but when he was taken to Hawick police station, he did oblige, and his breath-alcohol reading was 75 microgrammes, the legal limit being 22.

Reynolds was banned from the road for 18 months and fined £400 for drink-driving and another £100 for initially failing to provide a sample.

Sentence was deferred on a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner during the incident involving his partner.

A motorcyclist has admitted careless driving at the entrance to a Galashiels petrol station.

Mark McIntosh, 45, collided with a Volkswagen Passat while overtaking a line of traffic on the opposite side of Melrose Road to the garage on Saturday, October 21.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that the car had exited Dalgleish’s Esso garage because all the pumps on that side were occupied and was about to re-enter it when the collision occurred.

McIntosh, a self-employed painter and decorator, was thrown off his Kawasaki ZZR600 bike by the crash and left injured.

Depute fiscal Sophie Hanlon said the accused blamed the motorist for the accident and began shouting and swearing at her.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said the offence was in the middle of the range for careless driving.

He explained that the Passat was performing an unusual manoeuvre which would have been difficult to predict and that he understood that McIntosh would have been frustrated at the build-up of traffic behind a pedal cyclist.

He added that overtaking near the garage exit was foolish, though.

McIntosh, of Kirkliston in West Lothian, was fined £200 for careless driving and had six penalty points put on his licence.

He was also fined £200 for threatening or abusive behaviour immediately after the collision.

Members of Selkirk Silver Band did the Borders proud at the weekend by recording their highest-ever finish at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.

The finals were again staged in the Centaur auditorium at Cheltenham Racecourse, and in keeping with their famous equestrian surroundings, it was no surprise Selkirk’s band members played like the true thoroughbreds they are.

Selkirk last reached the UK national finals in 2016, finishing in 10th place. In the weeks of rehearsal leading up to this year’s contest, it became clear the Selkirk players’ focus was on bettering it.

In the draw to decide in what order the 18 competing Section 3 bands would perform the test piece – “Episodes for Brass”, by Gareth Churcher – Selkirk came out of the hat as the 14th band to play.

The long wait to see the Souters take the stage proved worth it for Selkirk’s enthusiastic supporters in the audience, for Selkirk Silver Band’s members gave a typically confident and polished display.

When the full results were finally announced late on Sunday afternoon, Selkirk had indeed improved on its 2016 position by being awarded eighth place.

Bandmaster Colin Kemp said he didn’t think the band could have played the piece any better, while conductor Stuart Black said: “All the soloists played really well, and we did what we came here to do, which was to come off the stage happy.”

Horn player Emma Scott was equally elated: “It was a real team effort, and I’m really chuffed with eighth place. The judges decided we’re the eighth-best Section 3 band in the whole of Britain, so what more could you want?”

The adjudicators singled out Selkirk’s soprano cornet player Stuart Kemp for special praise as the band’s ‘star’ player.

Scotland had a total of seven bands competing across the four musical sections

Scottish results: Section 1: Johnstone Silver (3rd), Dunaskin Doon (5th). Section 2: Annan Town (11th), Campeltown Brass (16th). Section 3: Newmains & District (4th), Selkirk Silver (8th). Section 4: Highland (17th), Whitburn Heartlands (withdrawn).

Section 3 final placings: 1, Barnsley Brass; 2, Dronfield Genquip; 3, Market Rasen; 4, Newmains & District; 5, Barton Community; 6, Allerton Brass; 7, Taff Vale Brass; 8, Selkirk Silver; 9, Usk; 10, City of Norwich Brass; 11, Hatherleigh Silver; 12, Bugle Silver; 13, Audley Brass; 14, Eccleston Brass; 15, Knaresborough Silver; 16, Weymouth Concert Brass; 17, Cleobury Mortimer Concert Brass; 18, Chichester City.

The silver screen will return to the Tait Hall next week as the Kelso Community Cinema team begins its second season of monthly film shows.

The group ran a “make of break” pilot of eight screenings over four nights last year, with the group warning that they would not continue past Christmas if it wasn’t financially viable.

But audiences grew with each film and more 250 people enjoying the final two films before the spring break.

Group chairman Peter Cooper said it had been a “popular opening season” and that: “the organisers hope to welcome back previous cinema-goers as well as those new to the community cinema.”

The cinemr returns next Friday, September 28 with Incredibles 2 at 5.30pm followed by Mama Mia Here We Go Again at 8pm.

Tickets costing £6 for adults and £5.50 for children under 16, on the door.

Borders Pet Rescue’s family fun day and dog show took place at the charity’s Bramble’s Field in Earlston.

The weather was kind for visitors and as well as the usual games and stalls, there was a bouncy castle, cake and candy, food by Moo Bah, a raffle, demonstrations by the Kelso Agility Group, tombola, archery by Southern Upland Roving

Archers an the fun dog show.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “There were so many lovely dogs took place in our dog show, which had categories like best puppy, young handler, best rescue and many more.

“After some tough decisions, Leo the lab was chosen as our Best In Show. Leo will be the first dog to get his name on our new Bramble’s Shield.

“Leo wasn’t the only winner on the day, however, as we had some wonderful raffle prizes for the humans from Donaldsons Butchers, Abbotsford House, Alex Dalgetty and Sons, Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, Keith Robertson Cars, Massage by Fiona, Stobo Castle, Ryze, Beau Boutique Beauty and Fort Douglas, to name a few.

“This all helped us raise an amazing £1,800 which will help towards our “£30,000 Kennel Appeal”

“Many thanks to everyone who came along to support us and take part on the day, we would be lost without all your support and we hope to see you all again next year when we plan to have an even bigger and better day out in store for you all.”

Organisers thanked all who volunteered to help run the event, and to everyone who donated prizes.

A Jedburgh man who once tipped a bucket of acid over himself by accident this week became the future president of the premier chartered professional body for safety and health in the workplace.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) installed Andrew Sharman as its president elect at its annual general meeting on Tuesday, September 18.

He is set to become president in September 2019.

Andrew is a former chairman of the organisation’s Edinburgh branch and founded the Scottish Borders Safety Forum in Kelso in the late 1990s.

Though now based in Switzerland, he remains close to his Borders roots and still has a home in Innerleithen.

After a workplace accident in his early career, he has focused his working life towards improving health and safety, and now he finds himself at the top of that particular tree.

IOSH acts as a champion, supporter, adviser, advocate and trainer for those who protect the safety, health and wellbeing of others.

With more than 46,000 members from over 120 countries, IOSH has an extensive trainer network, with more than 179,000 delegates attending its training courses in 2016.

He said: “I tipped a bucket of acid over myself while I was working as a process engineer, and that really sparked my interest in workplace safety and health.

“Over the past 20 years, I have been part of the Edinburgh branch executive committee, including a term as chair, held positions on the IOSH board of trustees and more recently the presidential team, so this feels like a coming of age for me.

“I’m delighted to have been voted in as the new president-elect.

“My aim as president will be to ensure IOSH supports people in the profession no matter where in the world they are.

“We need to make sure we have a broad outlook.”

Andrew is also chairman of the board of the Institute of Leadership and Management and is professor of leadership and safety culture and program director at the European Centre for Executive Development on the Insead business school campus in Paris.

The Met Office has issued an extended amber warning for wind for the Scottish Borders, which stays in place until 5pm today.

This time, it’s Storm Ali which is doing all the damage, bringing gusts of 65-75 mph inland.

Flying debris is likely and could lead to injuries or danger to life, with damage to some buildings possible, such as tiles blowing off roofs or trees falling.

Longer journey times and cancellations are likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected.

These conditions can cause power cuts, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage, while on the east coast, large waves could affect coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.

This warning will be downgraded to a yellow wind warning at around 5pm, until 10pm tonight, during which gusts of 50-60 mph are expected.

More than £800 in prize money is on offer to photographers able to come up with eye-catching images of the River Tweed worthy of taking up wall space for weeks at a time.

The Tweed Forum, backed by the Southern Reporter and Chirnside paper products firm Ahlstrom Munksjo, is running a photography competition intended to yield pictures for a charity calendar.

The competition has three categories – for children under 16, amateurs aged 16 upwards and professionals.

The winners of those categories will be given prize money of £200 apiece.

A dozen images will be chosen for the 2020 calendar, and those responsible for each of them will be given a £20 gift voucher and a copy of the finished product.

Entries should be colour digital images in landscape format and high resolution.

The forum is hoping to be sent images of the 97-mile-long river in all four seasons to illustrate pages for the corresponding months of the year.

Photographs submitted could show people at work or play on the river, feature some of its wildlife or simply capture its beauty.

The competition’s deadline is April 5 next year, and entrants must live or work in the Borders or north Northumberland.

The calendar will go on sale next summer to raise funds for forum projects such as restoring wildlife habitats, creating footpaths, flood prevention and fishery enhancement.

Forum director Luke Comins said: “As well as raising funds for our work, this calendar aims to show the incredible beauty of the River Tweed and to highlight the importance of protecting and enhancing the environment around it.

“We know there are some amazing amateur and professional photographers in the region and are hoping they will help us to create a stunning collection of images that can be enjoyed by local people and by visitors to the region and will showcase one of the Borders’ most important assets.”

Ahlstrom Munksjo director Stephen Monks said; “Our factory is situated by the River Whiteadder, a tributary of the Tweed, and we are well aware of the importance of looking after this beautiful river network for current and future generations.

“We’re delighted to be lending our support to the Tweed Forum for this fantastic project and look forward to seeing the great images we know the public will produce.”

Southern Reporter editor Darin Hutson added: “The quality and quantity of entries we get for the picture of the week slot on our letters pages prove that there is no shortage of photographic talent in the Borders, so this competition is sure to attract plenty of interest too.

“The Tweed stretches for almost 100 miles, from Berwick inland to Tweedsmuir, and there is an abundance of features of interest along that distance, so it offers plenty of potential for images worthy of taking up prominent places on Borderers’ walls for a month at a time, as I’m sure we’ll see come next April.”

Go to www.tweedforum.org/photo_competition for details.

The forum adds that care should be taken when taking photographs near the river, with children always to be accompanied by an adult, and no wildlife should be disturbed.

A Borders firm is to take its rejected bid to develop a partly vacant factory unit to the council’s local review body.

Proposals to convert the partly vacant former Barbour unit at Tweedside Park, Tweedbank into a gym, cafe and soft-play area, creating eight jobs, were submitted by Melrose-based JSC Properties in the spring.

But Socottish Borders Council threw out the plans last month, claiming that the proposals would “undermine aspirations to develop a high-quality business park” on the land, currently set aside for employment use in the local development plan,

The decision was met with disappointment from the applicant and Borderers alike and this week the JSC Properties has appealed against last month’s decision by planning chiefs.

A spokeswoman for Ferguson Planning, JSC Properties’ agent, said the decision was “buoyed by public support.”

“The applicant continues to believe that there is a lack of indoor play facilities within central Borders,” she said. “The council has suggested that there may be appropriate sites elsewhere but none have been brought forward that are of a comparable scale or purpose.

“Some people already choose to travel to Edinburgh for similar facilities however this option is not practicable or possible for many in the Borders. This proposal would have filled a gap and played its part in terms of inward economic investment to the Tweedbank Gateway.”

Currently 60% of the building is already occupied with businesses. The proposed new facility would take up just under one-fifth of the floor area of the unit, of which some parts have lain vacant since 2014.

“This would not have detrimentally impacted the supply of employment land and buildings in the area, of which there is a significant surplus,” the spokeswoman added. “Rather, it would have bolstered economic regeneration of the area and provided a complimentary service for those that work and live in the central Borders area.

“The existing business occupants would be unaffected and the proposal is simply aimed at filling long-standing vacant space.”

The appeal will go before the review body next month.

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Some say your schooldays are the best days of your life – and the memories of almost 150 former and current Kelso High School pupils, gathered together in a book about its old Bowmont Street home, appear to back up that theory.

The brainchild of former school rector Charlie Robertson and the product of almost a year’s work, the book, called Kelso High School Memories 1939-2017, was launched last Friday.

Charlie, rector from 1999 to 2011 and principal teacher of history at the school from 1979 to 1998, headed up a group of volunteers at the school’s archive group to create the 220-page collection of memories and photographs.

He said: “There was a group of us, and what we wanted to do was a series of things to commemorate the closure of the old building, which was very popular in Kelso.

“We had an exhibition, open day and so on, then we thought it would be good to ask former pupils and staff to record their memories.

“We thought it would be relatively quick and easy, but that’s not how it turned out.

“We generated an enormous amount of material, and to just put it away in an archive would have been a great shame, and so our plan for an 80-page booklet, ready in time for the closure, grew and grew until it was three times bigger.”

The £10 book is a joint effort by the archive group, Kelso Connections and Kelso Heritage Society.

The finished product features memories from 146 contributors of all ages and details of trips, teachers, traditions and changes over the years.

It was launched at a reception in Kelso Town Hall on Friday evening, coinciding with the opening of a three-day exhibition there charting the history of education in the town created by the heritage society.

The listed building, currently for sale, closed its doors for the last time in November after pupils moved into its £22.5m replacement at Angraflat Road.

The weekend-long exhibition was formally opened by Kelso Laddie Sean Hook, and Kelso High’s headteacher of the last three years, Jill Lothian, proposed a toast.

She said: “When I took up my post at the school three years ago, I knew even then that it was going to be quite a historic time for the school and the town.

“I am very grateful to Colin and his team for keeping these memories alive and for really involving the school. It’s really brought home the importance to me of keeping the archive going so that there’s the same wealth of photographs and information, perhaps for version two of the book.”

A loan covered printing costs for a 1,000-copy run, and any profits made from sales of the book will be donated to the school’s Tom McConnachie Fund.

Charlie added: “It has been a wonderful experience and a tremendous legacy to leave behind.

“It was an awful special place, and we hope that this book will form a fitting tribute to it.

The book, also including 250 illustrations, is available now in shops around Kelso, Yetholm and Morebattle.

Hawick is mourning the loss of a common riding stalwart after the death of its oldest living cornet at the age of 94.

Charles Whillans, better known as Chuck, carried the banner blue 70 years ago and was often referred to as Mr Common Riding.

He was acting father to George Peden Jr in 1967, master of ceremonies for 18 years, chaired the hut for provost Myra Turnbull and was president of the Mosstroopers and callants’ clubs.

However, it was leading the cavalcade back in 1948 that he called the “best experience of my life”.

During his working career, Chuck was also respected for carrying on his family’s cashmere business, Chas N Whillans.

Speaking to the Hawick News five years ago, he said: “Since I was a laddie, I have always loved the common riding and horses.

“I followed the cornet for the first time in 1938 when John Martin was cornet, and it cost me £2 10s for a horse called Tommy for the six weeks of the common riding. That was a lot of money, and the thing was I didn’t have much, but it was money well spent.”

In 1948, Chuck’s dream of being cornet came true, and he recalled: “I was absolutely thrilled when asked to be cornet. Really, it’s difficult to put into words how I felt.

“Bert Scott and Charlie Bell were my right and left-hand men. They were both close friends of mine, and I got marvellous support from them.

“My acting father was George Peden, the butcher. He was much more than an acting father, though, and was more like a real father.

“He took me under his wing and treated me as if I was his own son. I’ll never forget what George did for me. He was a great man.

“I loved every minute of being cornet and had an absolutely fantastic time.

“Everything went so quickly, though, but I have plenty of memories.”

His stint as acting father gave him a chance to return the favour George Peden Sr did him, and Chuck said: “It was a great honour to be an acting father, and the fact that I was acting father to young George Peden made it even more special.

“It’s quite amazing that I was acting father to the son of the man who had been my acting father. Sometimes things are just meant to be.”

Chuck was also actual father to a cornet in 1985, when his son Ian wore the green jacket and carried the banner blue.

“It gave me a lot of pride having a son for cornet, and Ian did me proud,” he said.

“I’m very proud of my other sons Alister and Donald as well as they have shared my great passion for the common riding and my passion for horses.”

Chuck is survived by wife Nan and sons Alister, Donald and Ian.

Tributes have been paid to his years of service.

Former Hawick councillor John Ross Scott, now living on Orkney, said: “Chuck was a close family friend and was always supportive to me during my time as honorary provost of Hawick.

“His good humour and caring attitude, I know, helped many people through difficult times.

“Thanks, Chuck, for what you did for me. You will be sorely missed by the entire Hawick community.

“Goodbye, auld freend.”

The town’s current honorary provost, Hawick and Hermitage councillor Watson McAteer, said: “Hawick has lost a very special son who may have been small in stature but was huge in personality and kindness.

“As a common-riding icon, his knowledge and experience will be sorely missed.

“However, he has left a legacy that will stand the test of time. I would wish to express my sincere condolences to his family and many friends at this sad time.”

Hawick and Denholm councillor Stuart Marshall added: “I was deeply saddened to learn of the sad news earlier this week and, like many people in the town, I will always have so many wonderful memories of Chuck.

“I will always be grateful to him for the advice and support that he gave to me during my terms as honorary provost and chairman of the common riding committee.

“His passing leaves a very large void in our common riding, and he will be greatly missed by those that had the privilege of knowing him.”

Mr Whillans was also president of Hawick Rugby Club for two years in the mid-1960s, and a spokesperson for the club said: “We are saddened to hear of the passing of one of our former presidents, Charles Noel Whillans, who held the post from 1964 to 1966.

“Our sympathy and thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

The director for children and young people at Scottish Borders Council is off to pastures new after landing the top job in Inverness.

Donna Manson has been appointed chief executive of Highland Council, a post she is due to start before the end of the year.

Mrs Manson, 51, joined Scottish Borders council from Fife Council in 2015. During the last three years she has overseen an improvement in exam results across the region’s schools, as well as implementing a range of support in a bid to bridge the attainment gap. She has also delivered a £32m education campus for Jedburgh.

She was appointed to her new role on Friday, following the retirement of the Highland chief executive.

Describing her new role as a “once in a lifetime job in the most amazing place”, Mrs Manson, whose husband is from Thurso, said she: “It is a real honour and privilege to have the opportunity to serve the Highlands with the staff team of Highland Council.”

Scottish Borders Council chief executive, Tracey Logan, said transition arrangements at Newtown St Boswells would be confirmed in due course.

She added: “I would like to thank Donna for her significant efforts to maintain and improve the learning opportunities, environments and outcomes for all our young people and wish her all the very best in her new post.”

More than 120 volunteers, riders, founders and fundraisers got together to celebrate their charity’s 50th anniversary at the weekend.

The Borders branch of Riding for the Disabled marked that milestone moment with a celebratory party at its Monteviot riding arena near Ancrum.

From its humble beginnings in 1968, the group has expanded and grown over the years to now regularly welcome around 50 riders each week, as well as Border Vaulters and dressage competitors.

However, on Saturday its horses enjoyed a day off, and the £400,000 arena instead played host to a beach-themed birthday party.

The group’s chairwoman, Susie Elliot, has been involved with the charity from day one, having first volunteered as a young newlywed, supporting her sister-in-law Jackie, who had Down’s syndrome but went on to ride for 25 years.

She said: “The celebration was for everyone we have touched over the years, including riders, their families and all our volunteers.

“It was a big thank-you to everyone who has helped us.

“We had the arena looking like a beach party, with clowns, a court jester, food and games for the children. It went with a total bang, and we were delighted to be joined by some of our ex-helpers, some of whom are 95 years old.”

The charity’s founder, the late Bethia Allan, was represented by daughter Gilly Dalton.

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With the Borders still being battered by high winds and rain, it’s probably no surprise to you all that the so-called Storm Ali is still very much with us.

The Met Office has extended its amber warning for wind to last until 6pm tonight, with gusts of 65-75mph expected.

Borderers are being asked to be aware of the high possibility of flying debris, which could lead to injury or danger to life.

Some damage to buildings is likely, such as tiles blown from roofs or damage through falling trees and branches breaking.

Longer journey times and cancellations are likely, as is the likelihood of power cuts, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

And those who are by the coast should look out for large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.

There is some good news, however, in that it’s not expected to be cold, with a maximum of 16C today.

The stormy conditions will ease into the evening, and it should be a lot calmer going into tomorrow, so it’s probably prudent to just batten down the hatches and ride this one out!

A man has been put behind bars for four years for subjecting two young sisters to repeated sexual abuse almost three decades ago.

Matthew Walley, now 46, was just a teenager when he began abusing the girls, aged four and six at the time, and he carried on preying on them for the following five years, the High Court in Glasgow heard.

Those lewd and libidinous offences were carried out on a regular basis in the Borders between January 1987 and April 1992.

Walley, of Winston Road in Galashiels, continues to deny being responsible for any sexual abuse despite being convicted after trial.

Sentencing Walley, judge Lord Stephen Woolman told him: “Your victims were two young girls.

“This was persistent and shameful sexual abuse, and you continue to deny it.

“Your conduct has continued to have a major impact on their lives.”

Walley abused one of his victims from the age of six until she was 11.

The woman, now 37, is a mother but has found it difficult to leave her child in the care of others for fear of what might happen, the court heard.

Eventually, after remaining silent for decades, she plucked up the courage to speak to others about what had happened to her as a child and reported it to the police.

Walley also abused the woman’s younger sister when she was aged between four and seven.

The court heard that Walley told the older girl that he loved her during the abuse, and she said that made her feel “special” at the time.

Prosecutor Richard Goddard told the jury that the episodes of abuse with the older girl appeared to become “almost a matter of routine”.

The advocate depute said that Walley had carried out sex acts on the girls for his own sexual gratification.

Walley, a former taxi driver, admitted in evidence during his trial that he had asked one of the girls “an inappropriate question”, but he denied responsibility for any sexual abuse.

Defence counsel Edith Forrest said: “This happened many years ago and he has not offended since.

“Mr Walley says he was taken into care when he was five and abused.

“He is assessed as posing a low risk of offending and is the main carer for a teenage boy.”

Ms Forrest urged Lord Woolman to consider imposing a non-custodial sentence on Walley, but he told her client the only appropriate punishment for his crimes was a prison term, adding: “You violated their childhood.”

Walley showed no emotion as he was led away from the courtroom to begin his sentence.

We were all warned that Storm Ali had yet to show his worst and that appears to have been the case as the weather conditions have caused significant travel issues across the Borders today.

The Met Office issued an amber warning for strong winds from 8am to 6pm today, with the winds peaking this afternoon at 86mph.

It has resulted in a large number of falling trees, which has closed a significant number of roads across the Borders, with damage to infrastructure and power cuts also being reported.

If you are out and about this afternoon, check whether the roads you are using are open at www.scotborders.gov.uk/severeweather.

As a result of the conditions, parents/carers of primary pupils who normally walk home have been encouraged to collect their child from the school at the end of the school day.

Primary and secondary pupils who travel to and from school by bus will be kept at the school until it is confirmed that their route home is clear and safe.

Some bus routes may run as normal, but others are likely to be delayed.

Additional support needs transport will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and again, pupils will be retained in school until safe to travel home.

A number of power cuts have been reported. Anyone who experiences a power cut should call freephone 105 and it will register your location, or visit the SP Energy Network website – www.spenergynetworks.co.uk.

Scottish Borders Council Chief Executive Tracey Logan said: “The Met Office initially predicted the strongest winds to hit the Borders by mid-morning, but instead it has arrived later, causing significant disruption.

“The strongest winds recorded so far are 86mph in the western side of the Borders, which shows the extreme conditions we are facing.

“The conditions are expected to ease this evening, but we will be closely monitoring the situation throughout the rest of today, with the Emergency Bunker remaining open throughout the Amber Warning. A Yellow Warning for strong winds then runs until 10pm tonight.”

A man has been ordered to carry out 90 hours’ unpaid work at Jedburgh Sheriff Court after admitting slapping his wife in the face during an argument over money.

Neil Gibson, 30, of Wilson Drive, Hawick, also pleaded guilty to breaking two mirrors and a table lamp at a house in Branxholme Drive, Hawick, on May 21.

His nine-month community payback order is an alternative to custody, he was told.