PLANS are being hatched to erect a statue in honour of one of Selkirk's most famous heroes.

Black Bob spent almost four decades coming to the rescue on the pages of the The Dandy and Weekly News.

Although the fictional collie came from the imagination of creator Jack Prout, his cottage home in the Corbie Lynn and many of the settings around Selkirk for his adventures were actual places.

And for many schoolboys throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s, the Royal and Ancient Burgh was known for being the home of Black Bob.

Representatives from the YES cultural festival, which last year organised a high-profile yarn bombing of the town, are now fetching facts and drawings from the DC Thomson archive in a bid to celebrate the courageous canine.

Selkirkshire councillor Vicky Davidson said: "The YES Festival is looking at highlighting the area's connections with Black Bob.

"There have already been visits to the DC Thomson archive.

"One of the suggestions which is being taken forward is for a sculpture and I fully support the idea."

Early talks are taking place with Sir Michael Strang Steel from Philiphaugh Estate, where Black Bob's cottage remains, about his involvement in the celebration of the cartoon character.

Local historian Dougie Purves is amongst the supporters of the Black Bob statue proposals.

He said: "Lockerbie and Moffat have sheep, and Hawick has a bull and a horse, I think a Border Collie would be suitable for Selkirk.

"Everyone of a certain age associates Black Bob with Selkirk - even our most famous footballer Bobby Johnstone had a nickname from the Black Bob stories.

"I think somewhere around Heatherlie, at the entrance to the valleys, would be the best location."

Black Bob originally appeared as a written story in the November 25, 1944 issue of The Dandy.

DC Thomson staff artist Jack Sprout continued drawing Bob and his owner Andrew Glen for both The Dandy and Weekly News for almost four decades.

And there were eight Black Bob annuals published as his popularity soared throughout the 1960s.

Selkirk community councillor Tommy Combe added: "Other towns like to have sculptures at their entrances, I can't see why Selkirk shouldn't."