SEVERAL Borderers have been included in the Queen's New Year Honours List.

Steve Penny from the Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team has been awarded an MBE.

The 59-year-old from Lindean has been a volunteer with the rescue team since moving to the area in 1992.

He also joined the Search & Rescue Dog Association Scotland (SARDA) as a handler in the same year.

Steve said: "I was quite shocked when I got the letter, but also very proud.

"It means a lot as my grandfather got an MBE in 1959, and at this time when my father has recently died it holds a very special meaning."

As well as his local roles within mountain rescue, which have included Team Leader, Assistant Leader and Secretary, Steve is also the wellbeing officer for Scottish Mountain Rescue.

In 2019, his wellbeing framework for volunteer rescue responders was rolled out across Scotland and is now forming the backbone of a wider UK Wellbeing Initiative via UK Search and Rescue.

And he is also a leading trainer across the country as part of the SMR Search Working Group.

Steve has also taken on a series of Executive positions within Scottish Mountain Rescue over the years - as Secretary between 2004 and 2010 and as vice-chair from 2013 to 2016.

Mr Penny added: "The team has changed over the years but we have always had a good team of people.

"Over the years we've attended many, many incidents.

"One that stands out for me was when I was with my dog during an avalanche, and although it was a fatality we were still able to locate the body quickly."

Receiving an OBE for services to Animal Health is Tweeddale's Dr Martyn Blissitt.

The Scottish Government veterinary adviser has been at the forefront of the country's fight against disease in farming livestock.

After qualifying as a veterinary surgeon in 1982, Martyn completed a PhD at Edinburgh University seven years later.

He spent his early working life in Somerset and Australia before joining the State Veterinary Service in Taunton during the BSE crisis of 1990, moving to Ayr Animal Health Office the following year.

He was promoted to Veterinary Adviser to SEERAD in 1997 and has remained an adviser with the Scottish Government, being credited with Scotland achieving official 'TB free status'.

Berwickshire's Ian Davidson has also been awarded an OBE for Services to Agriculture.

Mr Davidson is Head of Agriculture Policy at the Scottish Government.

He has most recently been responsible for the Scottish Rural Development Programme.

And has previously held posts in developing the current CAP in Scotland and also in the Area Office network as part of the RPID.