She lives in a city famous for its Roman attractions.

Tourists from all over the world travel to Chester to sample its fantastic architecture and history.

But Terri Hancock’s home city in the north west of England has nothing to compare with the St Ronan’s Border Games.

“We have one or two small local fetes and other events but nothing like this where we live,” she said. “It’s marvellous to see and great to see everybody in the town getting behind it.” Mrs Hancock and her husband Michael had made the four-hour journey north to see their grandson Alistair Marshall, aged eight, play his part as a monk at Innerleithen’s historic festival.

The proud grandparents arrived early to ensure a prime seat in a packed Memorial Hall for the start of the Cleikum Ceremonies on Friday night.

Sitting between them was Alistair’s six-year-old sister Emily while right in front were his parents Kevin and Catherine.

“We’re just so pleased to be here to be able to come up to see Alistair on his big night,” said his grandmother. “This is a great thing for all the families to be able to see their children up on the stage.

“We have been up to Innerleithen before during Games Week and seen the fancy parade but this is our first time here on the Friday.

“We are also looking forward to the flower parade before we have to go back home.

“Everything all seems to run so smoothly and you have to say the organisers do a great job as there must be so much to think about when they are putting it all together.

“We’ll definitely be coming back year after year and it would be great to think that Emily might be getting up on the stage in the next few years.”