TWENTY five years of loyal service at the Kingknowes Hotel in Galashiels was rewarded with a surprise presentation last week.

Staff members - past and present - gathered in secret in the Eildon Lounge to celebrate Alison Brownlee reaching her quarter of a century milestone.

Since 1991 she has been running the bar, serving meals and dealing with accommodation bookings at the KK and is rarely seen without her trademark smile.

She was presented with a Tablet to mark her long service by the current owners, the Lamont family.

Alison said: "The team here are excellent to work with and, of course, the wonderful customers always liven up a shift.

"I enjoy my job so here's to the next 25 years."

Kingsknowes Hotel general manager Robert Lamont said: "Ali is part of the furniture at the hotel.

"Everyone knows her and one of the main reasons why people keep coming back.

"It is an incredible length of service in this industry and we want to thank her for all her hard work over the past 25 years."