THE Crook Inn had a part to play in a big charity event.

The historic hostelry at Tweedsmuir was used as one of the stops on a three-day stagecoach trip from Edinburgh to Gretna. The 80-mile journey was organised in aid of McMillan Cancer Support.

Crook Inn was a traditional staging post between Edinburgh, Moffat and Dumfries and there was a change of horses and coach at the 17th century hostelry at Tweedsmuir on Sunday.

The horse-drawn stagecoach left Edinburgh bound for Gretna Green. It departed from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus, which was founded in 1823 at the height of the coaching era.

The staged journey, which used four teams of horses in relays, finished at the Gretna Hall Hotel, Gretna Green on Monday.

The route on the first two days followed the path taken by mail coaches in the 19th century, passing through Penicuik and on to Moffat via Tweedsmuir before heading south to Gretna Green.

The Leadburn Inn, the Newlands Centre at Romanno Bridge and Broughton School were among the other stopping points.