STORIES from across the globe about lockdown have been shared in a new book released this month.

During lockdown, members of a Peeblesshire elderly walking group shared letters of encouragement to ensure they stayed connected when they couldn’t be together.

But, what started as a newsletter reminiscing on the past, has now become a brief history of how lockdown around the world affected different people.

Jim Lyon, who edited the book, Lockdown Life, told us that there was a clear contrast between older and younger writers.

He said: “It was interesting that young people have looked forward or to the present, but elderly people have been looking back and remembering what it was like when they were young and comparing it to now.”

Stories from as far away as Hong Kong, Australia, Los Angeles, Cyprus and Germany were submitted to Mr Lyon ready to be published.

Mr Lyon, 86, added that the 150-page book, although it covers some tough topics, is “on the whole a lighthearted book, but it has tales of hardship as one would expect”.

Some stories featured in the book include a nurse who had cared for dying patients, and a man in Australia whose two daughters (a dentist and a cardiologist) were affected by changes to their jobs.

Mr Lyon added that the book is filled with “humour, hardship and reality”.

“Just look at the uniform clamour for toilet roll,” Mr Lyon added, “everyone around the world stampeded for loo roll – for what reason?

“[Loo roll] a common denominator for the human race.”

All proceeds of the sale of Lockdown Life will go towards supporting the Eastgate Theatre.

Mr Lyon said: “My contribution has gone towards printing costs but all proceeds go to the Eastgate.

“It’s the hub of the community [in Peebles].”

Lockdown Life is currently on sale in Whitie’s Books in Peebles, and in the Eastgate Theatre.

Alternatively, copies of the book can be posted around the UK by Mr Lyon.

To have a copy posted to you, contact Mr Lyon at: jrlyon@msn.com