NOMINATIONS are now open for the next Tweeddale Citizen of the Year awards.

A Special Selection Committee will meet in January to consider the nominations and choose the winner of the prestigious accolade.

The award will be made by Scottish Borders Council to the Citizen or recognised group of Citizens of the Tweeddale area who has or have done the most for the honour and welfare of the area or any part of it during the past year.

In March, Avril Murray and Margaret Wightman were named as the 2016 citizens of the year for Tweeddale.

The founders of community group Bonnie Peebles were both bestowed with the award by the then Councillor Graham Garvie at the celebratory event held in the Council Offices in Rosetta Road on Thursday, March 2.

Prior to collecting the award, the group celebrated their 10th anniversary in December 2016.

That month also saw the unveiling of a life-sized sculpture of Peebles' Olympic showjumper Scott Brash and horse Hello Sanctos by Edinburgh Road.

Avril and Margaret launched Bonnie Peebles after they became aware that the town was no longer being entered into Scotland's Floral Gateway or Beautiful Scotland competitions.

Their first undertaking was to create flowerbeds on the Edinburgh Road at the site of the old railway station. They marked that historical link by commissioning a sculpture of a train, which is mounted behind the beds.

Full details and nomination forms can be obtained from Kathleen Mason MVO, Clerk to the Lieutenancy of Tweeddale, c/o Democratic Services, Scottish Borders Council, Council Headquarters, Newtown St Boswells, Melrose TD6 OSA, by calling 07710 281823, or emailing kmason@scotborders.gov.uk.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from the Council’s website www.scotborders.gov.uk/TCYnominationform.

Completed nomination forms, from organisations or individuals, should be submitted no later than Sunday, December 31, 2017.