THE seventh annual Odd Shaped Ball proved to be a record-breaker with last Saturday’s event raising a mammoth total of £12,145 for junior sport in Peebles.

Peebles Hydro was once again the perfect setting for the popular black-tie celebration as a sell-out crowd of 210 guests gathered in the grand Ball Room for an evening of entertainment to support an array of different sports clubs in the local community.

The record fundraising amount takes the event’s contribution to more than £48,000 over seven years, which has now been invested across eight different sports, the three Peebles primary schools and sports teams within Peebles High School.

This year’s funds will go towards equipment, coaching, kit and increasing opportunities for young people to access sport in Peebles.

Event organiser Ross Duncan said: “Last year’s total of £10,000 was a very high benchmark to set but we always set ourselves the target of making every event bigger and better than the year before.

"We received some amazing auction prizes which attracted a lot of interest and led to some great competition among our generous bidders.

“To have raised almost £50,000 since we started back in 2013 is something Mark (Thomson) and I are very proud of and we’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the Odd Shaped ball this year, from those who bought tickets to the companies and individuals who donated the prizes.

"Some fundraising events can be a bit of a chore, but this is certainly an event that people really look forward to and have lots of fun at.

“It’s great to put the money back into local sport and support those clubs who do such a great job with youngsters in Peebles and the surrounding community.”

The superb Fiona Henderson School of Dance opened the evening with a slick 007 Bond-themed montage routine, before live band Grooveline kept the dancefloor packed throughout a fun-filled evening.

Auctioneer and co-organiser Mark Thomson ensured the money was flowing, thanks to a fantastic selection of prizes on offer, donated by a mix of local and national companies.

Top of the bill was a week’s holiday in a luxury French Alpine chalet donated by The Glentress Hotel, in addition to local chef Ally McGrath donating his culinary services to treat one lucky auction winner with dinner for six cooked in their own home.

Also up for a grabs was a dream Highland golfing weekend at Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart Golf links, with other sporting prizes included signed Scotland and British Lions rugby shirts and a pair of entries and race shirts for next year’s Glentress Seven from TweedLove.

One of the night’s most popular prizes was a pizza party from local company Wood Oven Wonders, while the football fans of a blue persuasion in the room competed for a hospitality package at the forthcoming Rangers v Aberdeen SPFL match at Ibrox.

Other prizes donors included: Cocoa Black; Evolution Bottling & Packaging Solutions, Peebles Hydro, Rule Gin, Belhaven Brewery, Go Ape Glentress, Forsyth’s of Peebles, Hair by Studio One, Heather Waddell Beauty Therapy, Brevity and Cullen Kilshaw.

Next year’s Odd Shaped Ball will take place at Peebles Hydro on Saturday, September 5.

To find out more information, visit facebook.com/oddshapedballpeebles.