Proposals for a new £342,000 play area, complete with a 10.6m-high tower, at Harestanes Country Park, near Ancrum, have moved a step forward now an application has been put in for planning consent.

The site is being redeveloped as part of £3.1m, four-year makeover of the region’s playparks being undertaken by Scottish Borders Council.

The proposals have been submitted to the council’s planning department, and, if approved, the park is expected to open in spring next year.

The new park is being designed by Northamptonshire firm Wicksteed Leisure.

In a design statement submitted to the local authority, a spokesperson for the firm says: “Our design proposal for the new play area is unique to Harestanes Country Park and has been inspired by the natural beauty of not only the park itself but also the town of Jedburgh and its rich history.

“We have combined a wide variety of innovative, durable play equipment with bespoke features such as an all-inclusive sensory boardwalk and the ever imposing Jedburgh Abbey and pyramid tower centrepiece.

“Fusing all these elements with multi-sensory textures, landscaped features and durable wet-pour safety surfacing, we have delivered a challenging, imaginative and educational play space that can be accessed and enjoyed by children of all ages and abilities for many years to come.”

The park will also feature a quiet zone and storytelling area, small amphitheatre, agility trail and a toddlers’ play garden.

A council spokesperson said: “In May 2018, councillors agreed to spend £3.1m over the next four years on new playparks, skateparks and pump tracks and other outdoor community facilities.

“An upgraded play park for Harestanes visitor centre was included in the investment, with a £342,000 facility to be created which will enhance the experience for families.”

New playparks were opened at Oxton and Galashiels earlier this year as part of the council’s upgrade initiative.

Selkirk’s first-ever fireworks event has been hailed a huge success after it went with a bang on Sunday.

Around 500 folk flocked to the Haining Estate for the free display organised by volunteers from Rowland’s, Scott’s Selkirk and the Haining Estate.

Rowland’s, a youth project based Selkirk, raised £2,000 needed for the display by holding fundraising events and collecting donations.

Susan Law, from the charity, said: “We felt we needed to do something a bit bigger to recognise the Year of the Young People.

“We had our year of the young people ambassador Kaitlin Riddell there to talk about her work. We went straight to the top, too and invited Nicola Sturgeon. She sent along Paul Wheelhouse MSP who was great and spent time chatting, helping shoogle tins and speaking to our young people.”

Eighty youngsters were on hand to help volunteers sell toffee apples, mulled wine, glow sticks and torches and young drummers led a procession to the lochside to enjoy the display - which was started by birthday girl Kyla Pettie, who turned six the day before.

Rain threatened to turn the event into a damp squib, so it was moved from Saturday night to Sunday. Musical entertainment from Dougie Downie, Gareth Hughes, David Rodgers, Phil Clayton and Chris Achenbach followed in the marquee.

“We had such a good turnout it would be silly not to do it again,” Susan added. “We are very grateful to everyone who donated money to help make this happen.

“Our thanks go to Adam Purves who paid for our air time on Radio Borders and Richard who has been a great source of information and advice, Levin Motors who also put up one of our signs Selkirk christmas lights committee who we helped put up the tents for Scotts Selkirk, Lochcarron for the mulled wine mugs, Bowhill Estate and the standard bearers. Thanks also to the rotary and community shed for providing additional stewards and a number of local businesses and individuals who all gave smaller but much appreciated donations

“If people still wish to donate they can do at the Scott’s Selkirk shop.”

Rowland’s last pop-up shop of the year will take place at No 5 on Saturday, November 15.

Families flocked to terrifying Traquair for a Halloween fun day featuring tarot readings, creepy crawlies and witches and wizard workshops.

Magic shows, a spooky passage experience, and a chocolate ghost hunt in the maze also entertained the crowds, as well as ghost stories in the woods, a scavenger hunt and traditional Halloween games.

The annual event proved popular once again with more than 500 people enjoying the activities on the day.

“We had a great day, it was busy, the weather was bright and sunny and the kids had a smashing time,” said Traquair’s Lynn Scott.

The spooky passage set up in the 12th century house delighted and scared in equal measure.

“It’s in the cellars which would have been used for animals in the olden days,” Lynn explained.“They are covered in cobwebs and spiders, there’s noises and it’s cold. There a few surprises down there and an old lady sits in the corner in a wheelchair from the 1850s. It frightens the bairns, but they seem to enjoy it.”

With centuries worth of history, the grand house at Innerleithen was the perfect backdrop for tall tales and spooky stories.

Dating back to 1107, Traquair is Scotland’s oldest inhabited house. Visited by 27 Scottish Kings and Queens, Traquair has been lived in by the same family since 1491.

Bangers, rockets and bouquets lit up the sky over Hawick for almost 20 minutes on Saturday night in what was one of the biggest firework displays in the Borders.

Volunteer Ian Middlemass, a former Burnfoot carnival chairman and community councillor, organised the event for the second year after securing funding for the £3,500 display through the common good fund.

And it got off to a dazzling start with children cracking on their glowsticks in unison as the flood lights were turned off at Mansfield Park.

“The display was fabulous,” Ian said. “Despite the weather there was a very decent turn out with around 1,000 spectators.

“Everyone enjoyed themselves and was an extremely entertaining night.

“Obviously we didn’t get the numbers we would like, due to the rain, but thought better to go ahead as the children were excited and families were looking forward to it.

“We hope to cover the costs and have enough to give us the deposit for next year’s event.“

There was also fun fair, novelty stalls and food stands as well as a bar and family disco in the club rooms.

Ian added: “Next year it will be moving to another site in the town to reduce costs. A bigger area is also needed to give us space for the attractions we need to provide the best and biggest display in the Borders.”

A man with a previous conviction for sexually assaulting a petrol station attendant has admitted making inappropriate comments to a 20-year-old shop assistant.

Jonathan Field pleaded guilty to committing that offence in the Spar shop in Jedburgh’s Lothian Road on May 13, leaving the store worker “quite shaken”.

The 28-year-old’s conduct was described as “utterly disgraceful and incomprehensible” at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

As Field’s name is already on the sex offenders’ register for the offence at the Shell garage in Edinburgh Road, Jedburgh, back in August 2016, sentence has been deferred until November 27 for the production of a criminal justice social work report and a restriction-of-liberty order assessment.

Field, of Lothian Road in Jedburgh, pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by recording the female employee on his phone, making inappropriate comments to her and kissing one of her hands.

The court was told that Field’s previous conviction was for going into the Shell garage late at night and groping the breast of a female staff member.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said that while his latest offence was not specifically of a sexual nature, there were similarities.

He explained: “The comlainer is 20 years of age and was working behind the counter in the premises at about 9.30pm with a colleague in the back office.

“The accused came in with a friend, and she knew him as a regular customer.

“He came up to the counter and started flexing his biceps and asking her to feel his muscles. She thought he was tipsy but not drunk but was not sure what to do.

“The friend turned up at the counter with alcohol and the staff members realised the accused was filming himself and also her with a mobile phone. He was carrying out a selfie.

“She could see her image on his phone and held her hand up to cover her face.

“He then said ‘if I could bend you over and spank you, I would’.

Mr Fraser said the woman felt awkward so his friend told Field to stop, saying ‘you are being a creep’.

Field then kissed her hand and left with his friend.

Afterwards, the woman was found by her colleague in the staff toilets crying and described what had happened.

When spoken to by police, Field said he was “quite drunk” and “just joking about”, but he admitted he didn’t think the shopworker was very happy about what had happened.

Field said it had not been his intention to upset the employee and had acted the wrong way.

Mr Fraser told him: “How anyone can think it is appropriate behaviour is beyond me. It was utterly disgraceful and incomprehensible.”

Defence lawyer Sophie Russell said that in the cold light of day now her client is sober, he is “very remorseful”.

She added: “When he has a drink in him, he can become quite loud and inappropriate.”

Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence for reports and warned Field of the consequences if he cannot behave himself after consuming alcohol.

Kelso’s first organised bonfire and fireworks display has been hailed a huge success by organisers.

Well over 1,000 people from all over the Borders descended on Springwood Park on Guy Fawkes night for the free event.

Organised by the Border Union Agriculture Society and funded by donations from Kelso business and folk, a thrilling display of fireworks and a roaring bonfire pulled in the crowds.

The society’s event coordinator Marion Steven said the night was the society’s way of “giving something back to the community.”

“While Hume, Sprouston, Yetholm and Roxburgh all often hold events, there has been nothing in Kelso,” she said.

“This was our first year doing something like this and we didn’t know how it was going to go. But there was masses of people. We had at least 1,000 cars so that’s a lot of people, and from all across the Borders, too. It was quite amazing.”

The free event also helped raise money through donations to secure its return next year.

“We gathered donations from people and businesses this year and were shaking tins on the night. So we are well on our way to having the £1,000 needed to run the event again,” Marion added.

Street vendors and Slaters funfair were also on hand to entertain after the fireworks display.

Borders actor Jack Lowden says being named best film actor at the Scottish BAFTAs last week was “insane”.

The former Earlston High School pupil picked up the honour for his role as Vaughn in Highlands-set thriller Calibre at the British Academy Scotland Awards in Glasgow on Friday.

Written and directed by Matt Palmer, the Netflix feature film impressed critics when it premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in June, winning the Michael Powell Award for best British feature.

Lowden was presented with the coveted best actor award by Avengers and Dr Who star Karan Gillan at the glamourous red-carpet ceremony in Glasgow’s Radisson Blu Hotel, beating two of his co-stars to the accolade.

Thanking BAFTA and BAFTA Scotland for the award, the 28-year-old, who grew up in Oxton, said the film was made by people with a genuine love of the craft.

“This is a hell of a film to get made,” he said. “It’s a film that I don’t think is trying to change the world, it’s a film that just likes being a film.”

Paying tribute to his co-stars and fellow nominees, Tony Curran and Martin McCann, Lowden said: “Tony Curran is one of my favourite actors. To work with you was incredible, to get to know you was amazing.

“Martin McCann shot me in a face in a film called 71. Those that have seen this film will know that this was an elaborate ruse to get my own back and shoot him.

“There were many days when this was very, very difficult. A large part of what I do in this film is a product of many times me tapping on Martin Curran’s door, going in his trailer and saying ‘I don’t know what to do Martin’.

“A large part of what I do in this film is a product of the grace and humility and kindness and brilliance of, in my opinion, one of the greatest actors of his generation.”

Born in Essex but brought up in Oxton, a teenage Lowden performed in local shows at Earlston High and with the Galashiels Operatic Society, which he credits with setting him on the path to roles in major motion pictures.

“One of the main things that helped me - and basically where I learned to act - was in amateur operatics in the Borders,” he said.

His film credits include Collins in 2017 war epic Dunkirk, golf pioneer Tommy Morris in Tommy’s Honour and Lord Darnley in Mary Queen of Scots.

Speaking after the ceremony, Lowden added: “It’s ridiculous to win it, with the other two guys that were nominated.

“It’s sort of insane that the three of us were nominated. What is lovely is that the film has won something.”

Hosted by Edith Bowman, the awards celebrated the very best in film, television and games produced over the last year in Scotland.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon presented Alan Cumming with the award for outstanding contribution to film and television, with production designer Pat Campbell and producer Paddy Higson also receiving special recognition awards.

Other winners were: Actor television, Chris Reilly, The Last Post; Actress film, Shauna MacDonald, White Chamber; Actress Television, Elaine C Smith, Two Doors Down; Animation, Widdershins; Director factual, John Maclaverty, Scotland 78: A Love Story; Director fiction, Armando Iannuccu, The Death of Stalin; Entertainment, Armchair detectives; Feature film, Nae Pasaran; Features and factual series, Violent men: behind bars; Game, The secret experiment; Short film, My loneliness is killing me; Documentary, Scotland 78: A love story; Specialist factual, Rupert Everett: Born to be wilde; Television scripted, Scot Squad; Writer film/television, Armando Iannucci, The Death of Stalin.

Allegations of verbal abuse were made at a heated meeting of Hawick Common Riding’s organising committee last Thursday amid revelations that the annual event had made a financial loss for the first time in two decades.

Tempers flared at the committee’s annual general meeting, held at Hawick Town Hall.

Members were also told that this year’s common riding had made an unprecedented loss of £5,403, believed to be down to reduced footfall.

However, it was the angry words and claims and counter-claims that shocked many of the members of the public present, with one attendee describing the meeting as “the worst in the committee’s history”, adding: “The common riding is being ripped apart”.

Matters came to ahead when master of ceremonies and ex-Hawick cornet Ian Nichol accused committee member Gillian Morgan of lobbying against the appointment of his son Ross, also an ex-cornet, to the committee.

That led to a bitter exchange of words between the two, with Mrs Morgan making claims of verbal abuse against both father and son.

Mr Nichol told the meeting: “I am led to believe that Gillian Morgan from our committee, after it was done and dusted at a full committee meeting last Thursday night, went out and lobbied all provost council members, bar one, not to allow Ross Nichol to stand as a representative, and I would like to ask her now what was her reason for not saying this at last week’s meeting. Do you think it is the correct way to conduct business?”

In response, Mrs Morgan, formerly gate and ticket convener for the common riding, denied lobbying provost council members and told Ross Nichol: “At last year’s colour-bussing, you verbally abused me on the stairs. You know what you said at that colour-bussing. You might look confused now, but you came up to me and said I was personally responsible for a child up there crying.

“Your attack on me was completely unfounded.

“I’d also like to put on record that, on January 24 this year, Ian Nichol verbally abused me at a common riding meeting. I think you know what I’m saying.”

Mr Nichol denied that, saying: “There were 30-odd people there – can anybody remember that?

“The common riding committee is a voluntary group that tries hard to organise the common riding for Hawick folk and the town of Hawick, but with folk like this, honestly, it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

The evening’s heated exchanges continued after ex-cornet Jed Huggan accused the committee of letting down the town by handing out one-year bans he described as excessive to young men found to have misbehaved at common ridings.

He said: “I don’t think the executive committee is doing its job properly.

“The common riding is a wonderful thing, but at the moment it is not working well.”

Committee chairman Cameron Knox told him: “The sentence is dealt with by the executive committee, quite rightly.

“We take that to the full committee for their discussion, with each one discussed at length, and it’s up to the committee to pass final judgement.

“If any member of the committee does not agree with that, they can speak up.”

An attendee at the meeting, who did not wish to be identified, said: “It was an explosive meeting indeed, with members of the public and 20 committee members present.

“It was the worst meeting that I have attended in the committee’s history.

“How awful it is to see our common riding being ripped apart in such a way and in the full glare of the public.”

Another attendee added: “I don’t know where the Hawick Common Riding committee goes from here. There are a lot of wounds to be healed.”

A Borders rugby player has been banned from the road for a year for driving a car owned by his club while twice the legal alcohol limit.

Selkirk winger Nico Pavlovski pleaded guilty at the town’s sheriff court to committing that offence during the early hours of Friday, October 12.

When breathalysed by police, the 26-year-old was found to have a breath-alcohol count of 44 microgrammes, double the legal limit of 22.

The court was told that the French national, from New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean, had left a pub in the town at 12.30am and decided to drive the club-sponsored car a distance of 50 metres to a takeaway.

The police were informed, and he was traced to his home address in West Port.

The engine of the vehicle was still warm when they arrived, and he accepted he had been driving it.

In addition to a 12-month disqualification, Pavlovski, employed as a labourer, was fined £500.

He has only been with Scottish National League division one outfit Selkirk since the start of this season.

Denholm never fails to celebrate Guy Fawkes night in style and this year’s efforts were just as impressive as ever.

Hundreds gathered on the village green on Monday night to see a huge bonfire, complete with Guy himself on top, burned to the ground as fireworks lit up the sky overhead.

The annual event, one of the longest-running in the region, attracted spectators from Hawick, Jedburgh and beyond and was organised once again by the Auld Cross Keys Inn and the Denholm Feurars and Householders’ Council.

A colourful fireworks display was sponsored, once again, by Auld Cross Keys owners Karen Massey and David Bennet while the bonfire was built and lit by the Feurars.

Auld Cross Keys bar manager Ongdi Sherpa said: “We, once again, received a lot of donations from the public and villagers and would like to thank them for their support.

“It was a really good turnout, the green was very busy and everyone enjoyed the display and bonfire.”

Gordy Campbell, of the Feurars, added: “We would like to give a big thank to all of the volunteers for their hard work in creating a safe atmosphere at another amazing Denholm bonfire.

“The weather was great as was the night.

“Thanks also to Dave and Karen and the Pyro Crew for a great fireworks display.”

A woman has been fined £200 after admitting an £8,000 benefit fraud.

Jacqueline Craig, 61, of Chiefswood Road, Melrose, pleaded guilty at Selkirk Sheriff Court to failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions that she was living with her partner.

As a result, Craig received £8,000 in jobseeker’s allowance between April 2013 and April 2017 that she was not entitled to.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said: “She should have declared this. It was clear he was residing with her and he had some earnings.”

Defence lawyer Greg McDonnel said his client is now paying the money involved back out of her benefits.

A man directed sectarian comments at police officers and threatened to kill them during a drunken disturbance in the Borders in the summer.

Dean Campbell, 39, pleaded guilty to committing that offence near his Bridge Street home in Galashiels and at the Borders General Hospital in Melrose.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told he was shouting and swearing in the hospital’s accident-and-emergency department on May 10 and was singing the 1920s loyalist chant Billy Boys, originally a signature tune for Protestant street gangs but latterly adopted by fans of the city’s Rangers football club, as well as threatening the officers.

Sheriff Peter Paterson said he was not prepared to accept Campbell’s bigotry and called for the production of a criminal justice social work report and a restriction-of-liberty order assessment.

Sentence was deferred until December 4.

A Galashiels planning and development practice which started as a one-man-band five years ago is marking its fifth birthday with the creation of two new posts.

Ferguson Planning, established by Tim Ferguson, 41, has seen its portfolio and staffing levels expand since it first opened in a small office at Tweed Horizons Centre at Newtown in 2013.

Today, the firm employs four members of staff at its Island Street office and satellite base in Tim’s native Ballycastle in Northern Ireland.

Associate director Kate Jenkins, of Peebles, joins the firm as associate director, having run her own practice in Peebles and Edinburgh for a decade.

“Kate brings with her considerable experience and a successful track record in delivering planning permissions and successful appeals for a wide variety of clients,” Tim said.

“Her experience in rural development, in particular, is considerable and will contribute to the delivery of a first-class service to landowners and developers across south and central Scotland as well as Northumberland.”

And the firm’s newest recruit, Dani Sterling joined last week as an assistant planner, having recently graduated from Queens University in Belfast with a degree in town planning design.

“We welcome an additional pair of extremely enthusiastic and capable hands to help with the practice’s increasing workload, and it is a pleasure to welcome Dani to the office”, Kate added.

Ferguson Planning’s local projects include the new mountain bike trails at Glentress, a proposed soft-play centre at Tweedbank, Caerlee Mill’s development in Innerleithen and a holiday cottage complex in Galashiels.

Further afield, the company has been delivering planning permission for a £20m luxury 120-bed hotel in Country Antrim and a 200-home development on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

“We have had an exciting mix of projects over the last five years,” Tim added.

“We are delivering good results locally and further afield.

“Ferguson Planning is receiving more and more interest from farmers seeking to diversify their land assets and in particular in the creation of high-end holiday cottages.

“We keep on going and expanding. We are doing quite a lot in the Borders, and the portfolio in Northumberland is growing too with a few jobs in Berwickshire and Spittal on the go.”

Tim, who studied at Edinburgh University and worked in the city before going it alone, says the Borders Railway was his main reason for setting up in here rather than Edinburgh.

Now living in Bowden with his two children Josephine and Paudraig and wife Toni-Jane, Tim says, five years on, the move was the right one.

“I identified that there weren’t really any strong planning and development companies in the Borders at the time,” he said.

“Rather than set up in Edinburgh I wanted to invest in the Borders.

“We wanted to set up somewhere near the railway, and the Island Street move three years ago gave us the perfect base with more of a front door.

“We do things organically, react to our growth as it happens and particularly enjoy working with landowners and families to guide them through the planning process to bring investment to the Borders.”

Kelso’s newest town centre shop is combining beef with brownies in a bid to offer something a little different to the traditional butcher’s line-up of meat and more meat.

Hunters Butchers and Delicatessen, in Bridge Street, is priding itself on finding new ways to diversify.

“We are doing things a little differently,” owner Scott Hunter, of Sunlaws, said.

“We aren’t just going down that same old line.

“We have given the shop a complete facelift so it has a modern look, including the deli, which features British and continental cheeses and charcuterie.

“People are mentioning how smart it is.

“It’s lighter and has a more upmarket feel about it. ”

The move has created two part-time jobs alongside that of full-time head butcher Colin Ward, employed at the Bridge Street shop – formerly Foston’s Fine Meats, Mitchell’s Butchers and Lee’s Butchers before that – for 20 years.

It’s a bit of a change of path for father-of-two Scott, 50, though, as his background is in cooking, having run the award-winning Harrow Inn gastropub near Newbury in Berkshire for eight years and the Fleece in Witney, Oxfordshire, for four before moving back to the Borders 13 years ago.

“I grew up here and spent a lot of time watching my uncle farm at Plenderleith so was brought up around sheep, cows, ducks and chickens,” he said. “Bringing it all together is my idea of bliss.”

While the butchery side of things will use only meat sourced within 20 miles of the shop, including pork from Stobs Farm, near Hawick, and lamb from the Cheviots, the deli is offering products from further afield.

Scott said: “Native Breeds charcuterie is based in Gloucestershire and recently found fame on Countryfile. As far as we know, we’re their first outlet this side of the border.

“We’ve also got exclusive artisan breads from Jedburgh, meringues, cakes of all kinds, a huge selection of jams and pickles and what must be the best brownies in the Borders.”

Butcher’s shop favourites, meanwhile, include the Kelsae banger and pies, burgers, sausage rolls, haggis and puddings all made in house.

“We are all about quality. If it’s not got full flavour and punch it’s not going on the counter,” Scott added.

Hunter’s is open from 7.30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday.

The future of Ancrum’s Guy Fawkes night is looking bright once again after a bonfire and fireworks display was enjoyed by hundreds on the village green.

Ancrum community councillor, Stuart Turnbull, said the mild and clear night ensure it was a busy event.

“We had a good crowd who seemed to enjoy themselves and were treated to an excellent 15 minute display from the fireworks team,” he said. “Food vendors also did a brisk trade with queues for fish and chips and ice-cream all night.

“Thanks go to the volunteers who helped build the bonfire, arrange the fireworks and tidy the green afterwards and the police who assisted with putting on the event.

“It has been a success, so we can be assured that it can keep going, which was a concern after last year.”

Ancrum has celebrated every November 5 for well over 15 years, priding itself on being putting on “an event that organises itself”. But its future was left in doubt after last year’s bonfire was extinguished by fire crews when police deemed not enough supervision or stewarding was in place. This year the community council took on the formal organising in a bid to ensure the local event continues to burn brightly.

“We still had a lot of people there but thankfully not the same influx which caused traffic problems last year,” Stuart added.

“There was such an influx of people last year but I think people were more sensible with their travel parking arrangements this year.”

A sexual predator has been brought to justice four decades on for molesting young girls and exposing himself to them back in the 1970s.

Nigel Hartdegen, 67, is now behind bars after a judge refused to continue his bail following his conviction for three offences of indecent behaviour.

Hartdegen, of Hillend Drive in Hawick, targeted two girls for abuse, carrying out sex acts on them between 1973 and 1976.

He molested one child from the age of six at an address in his home town, lifting up her skirt and forcing her to perform a sex act on him.

He abused the second girl from the age of 10, exposing himself to her and making her carry out a sex act on him.

One of his victims told the High Court in Edinburgh that she was a little girl when she visited his house in Hawick and was targeted after being lured into a shed in its back garden.

The woman, now 51, said she was asked to take a cup of tea out to the shed, and Hartdegen then shut the door and exposed himself to her.

She told police: “I was wearing a dress, and he pulled my dress up at the front with his hands.

“He said he wanted to see the colour of my knickers.”

She said she got a fright and pulled away from and ran back into the house.

During a further visit, though, she was given a cup of tea to take to him in the shed and he rubbed himself up against her.

The woman said she did not reveal the abuse that was perpetrated against her at the time as she was frightened and scared and was told no one would believe her.

She later told police: “He always warned me not to tell anybody as nobody would believe me.

“I actually thought ‘nobody is going to believe me. I am just a little girl’.”

Pensioner Hartdegen had denied those offences but was found guilty after trial last Thursday of three charges of lewd, indecent libidinous practices and behaviour against the two girls.

He was acquitted of three further charges of indecent assault, indecent exposure and indecent behaviour.

Following the jury’s verdict advocate depute David Nicolson revealed that Hartdegen had previous convictions for indecent exposure and sexual assault.

Defence counsel Tim Niven-Smith said his client accepted that a prison term was inevitable following the convictions but added that a background report would have to be prepared on Hartdegen before sentencing as he has never previously served a jail sentence.

Mr Niven-Smith asked for Hartdegen’s bail to be continued ahead of sentencing, but that plea was rejected.

Judge Lady Ailsa Carmichael told Hartdegen: “The position has changed significantly with the finding of the jury, and you will be remanded in custody.”

Hartdegen was also placed on the sex offenders’ register.

He is due to be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow later this month.

Council chiefs have agreed to put Hawick in the running for a £2m regeneration project.

Scottish Borders Council’s executive committee has agreed to bid for funding from Historic Environment Scotland’s conservation area regeneration scheme (CARS) fund.

It hopes to secure a grant of £1.41m to spend on restoring shop fronts and historic buildings in the town centre.

The council had intended to put just £157,700 into that spending pot, if successful, alongside private-sector contributions of £358,750 to provide a budget of £1.93m, but it now believes it would have to splash the cash more lavishly. A report to the council by the authority’s chief economic development officer, Bryan McGrath, highlighted the success of a similar scheme in Selkirk since 2013, attracting £2.4m in public-sector funding.

Over that period, the number of at-risk buildings in Selkirk’s town centre has fallen from seven to two, average footfall has risen from a low of 2,090 to 2,710 and the percentage of vacant shops has dropped to below the average for the Borders.

Hawick, on the other hand, has seen a marked deterioration in its town centre.

Average weekly footfall has declined, year on year, from 9,990 in 2008 to 4,680 now, and the latest retail audit in December 2017 counted 37 vacant units in the town centre.

Some 26 of those units have been vacant for over a year, and there are currently seven at-risk buildings within the historic centre of the town.

Mid Berwickshire councillor Mark Rowley, the council’s portfolio holder for business and economic development, told Tuesday’s executive committee meeting: “Clearly a lot of work has gone into this and at an incredible pace. We only started talking about this at the very end of last year, and here we are at the beginning of November essentially with a bid ready to launch.

“The other thing that’s worth mentioning is that this is a competitive bid. We’re going in for a fought-after fund of £10m and, according to this, we’re asking for a significant chunk of that.

“We need to bear that in mind. Councillors willing to throw in for that bid need to sustain the pressure.”

Council leader Shona Haslam said: “This was a commitment made in the budget last year, so I’m really pleased to see this.

“It really demonstrates the commitment of the administration to Hawick, and to the regeneration of Hawick, which is fantastic to see.”

Properties in line to be renovated if the bid succeeds include the Crown Business Centre at 20-22 High Street, the former Queen’s Head pub at 32 High Street, the erstwhile Liberal club at 80 High Street, the old KT Krafts shop at 24 High Street and the vacant Beauty Lounge unit at 26 High Street, as well as 4 Round Close.

Hawick and Hermitage councillor Watson McAteer is no longer on the executive but he sat in on the meeting, and he welcomed the news, saying: “It’s great news that the executive has supported the CARS scheme.

“We’ve seen it in Kelso and Jedburgh and Selkirk. It makes a real difference to a town.

“Hawick can look forward to seeing a few of these building which are a bit tatty and a bit worn being reshaped and bringing new life to the town.

“Everybody is going to be delighted to see that happen.”

Although the majority of funding for the CARS scheme comes from Historic Environment Scotland, property owners still have to contribute towards any revamp of their buildings’ fronts.

Asked about that, Mr McAteer added: “No doubt it will be a challenge for some, but I’m hoping that most will see the benefit of actually contributing to their own property.

“Consequently, they’re going to see an increase in the quality of their property and probably an increase in the resale value. It’s a win-win situation.”

The bid has been welcomed by other councillors for the town too.

Hawick and Hermitage councillor George Turnbull said: “The campaign to bring the Borders Railway to Hawick will be transformational for the town, but it is going to take years to deliver.

“We cannot wait around, which is why Scottish Borders Council is pressing ahead with plans to make Hawick a better place to live, work and visit.

“This new regeneration scheme has worked well in other parts of the Borders and would improve a number of our buildings.”

Hawick and Denholm councillor Neil Richards added: “This proposal is just one of a number the council are pressing ahead with.

“Alongside sorting out bad parking on the High Street, the new business hub and business-friendly planning laws, there is a sense that Hawick is turning a corner.”

After the meeting, Mr Rowley said: “CARS funding schemes are extremely competitive, with bids coming from across the country, so there is absolutely no guarantee that we will be successful.

“However, we have an excellent track record when we have sought such funding, delivering successful programmes in Kelso and Selkirk, and indications are that will also be the case with the current Jedburgh CARS programme.

“This all stands us in good stead with an application for Hawick.

“There are a number of prominent buildings in Hawick town centre that could benefit through a CARS project and such a scheme could help reverse some of the decline the town has experienced and, along with other ongoing projects such as the Almstrong’s redevelopment, provide a catalyst to wider regeneration and investment from the private sector.”

Drivers are being warned to expect delays in Innerleithen for the next fortnight.

The High Street will undergo resurfacing from Monday, November 12 until Friday, November 23.

A convoy system will be in place from 9am to 4.30pm daily, excluding weekends and High Street parking will be restricted from 8.30am to 5pm.

The works, part of the council’s £2.6m resurfacing programme, will take place in two phases.

Councillor Gordon Edgar, executive member for roads and infrastructure, said: “This latest resurfacing project will be welcomed by users of the A72 and Innerleithen residents, with the road showing signs of wear and tear from previous severe weather and the high number of vehicles which use it.

“With Dirtpot Corner improvements currently ongoing with traffic lights in use, I would encourage anyone using the A72 to give themselves extra time during the works.”

The A6091 Galafoot Bridge will remain closed to eastbound traffic for another week.

Works to repair the 1975-built bridge, which began in August, were due to be completed tomorrow after the original end date was put back a month.

The eastbound carriageway, heading towards Tweedbank, will now remain closed until 6am on Sunday, November 18, with traffic diverted via the A7, onto the one-way B6360 Abbotsford Road, to Tweedbank roundabout.

Amey, which maintains the trunk road networks for Transport Scotland, said that once work started the repairs were more extensive and complex than initially thought.

The programme was subsequently revised and broken into two phases, with the second phase planned for early 2019.

Bridges manager Stuart Wallace said: “We regret that the work necessary to complete the first phase of major repairs on the A6091 Galafoot Bridge will now complete later than we had hoped.

“We have briefed local stakeholders including the emergency services and Scottish Borders Council, and will continue to provide weekly updates via our website and through shared communications with community councils, businesses and the local authority.”

He added that Amey was taking steps to ensure better communication with the community for phase two of the scheme.

“Going into phase two we have a better understanding of the task in hand, with an expectation that it will require the same level of repair as phase one,” Mr Wallace explained.

“This will allow us to improve how we resource, communicate and deliver this second tranche of work.

“We regret the inconvenience, frustration and disappointment these emergency works have caused the local community and we will ensure that the lessons learned from Phase 1 of these works are applied in Phase 2. We again extend our thanks to all road users for their patience and understanding. Our priority remains to complete Phase 1 efficiently, effectively and completely; and to restore the superstructure of the bridge in a manner that will reduce the need for similar extensive maintenance for decades to come.”

Information on the progress of this scheme can be found on the STRU SE website and Twitter channel @SETrunkRoads

A woodland area in the grounds of Langlee Primary School has been left damaged after vandals lit a fire in the children’s hut there.

Posts were torn from the fence and set alight on the hut’s floor overnight last Wednesday, October 31.

A statement released by the school on Thursday said the fire was still smouldering the next morning.

“We were devastated to discover that the fence had been broken and used to make a fire on the floor of the hut the previous night,” it said.

“This was still smouldering this morning and we are grateful to the pupils who helped ensure the safety of others by reporting this.

“This act of vandalism has meant our pupils are not able to access a very popular area of our school grounds. It will take time and money to fix, if indeed it can be fixed.”

Police Scotland is urging anyone with information to contact them on 101, quoting incident number 0770 of November 1.