NEWS that the Peebles-based Scottish Conker Championships have been shelved is bonkers – according to organisers.

This year’s competition, which takes place next month, hit the national headlines this week after it was reported it had been cancelled due to a poor harvest.

And the story was even discussed by panelists on Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine show on Wednesday morning. But the Borders Forest Trust, which runs the event, says the national newspaper reports are nuts.

Anna Craigen, the organisation’s community and education officer, told us: “We saw the national stories and were very confused to how they came about.

“Everything is going ahead as planned and we are very much looking forward to it.”

It was claimed the Tweed Green event had been called-off following Britain’s exceptionally hot summer, leaving a shortage of championship-standard horse chestnuts. But Anna added: “I actually think the Scottish conkers this year are a lot better than in previous years.

“In the past we have had to import them for the competition, but I think there are a lot of suitable ones locally this time.

“We are expecting around 75 competitors this year – everyone takes it very seriously and people travel from all over the UK for the event.”

Organisers were forced to cancel the championships back in 2012, due to a lack of conkers.

But the group has since put together a string a successful events.

Anna said: “We provide the conkers for the adult, junior and youth rounds, but contestants are free to use their own for the rogue category.

“We have had people do the traditional thing and treat them in vinegar, but we have also seen conkers dipped in concrete and in E45 moisturising cream in the past.

“We would like as many people as possible to come down to Tweed Green on the morning Saturday, October 20.

“The competition will kick off at around 11am.”