AN outspoken evangelist has been blocked from preaching in the Borders.

South African Pastor Angus Buchan, who believes homosexuality is a curable disease, had been due to talk at the Volunteer Hall in Galashiels later this month.

The event had been organised by the Tweedbank-based Hope Church.

But, following complaints from equality groups last week over Buchan's homophobic and misogynist views, the booking was cancelled by hall operator Live Borders.

They said they were upholding a policy for not taking bookings for events likely to cause offence.

Susan Hart, chair of the Scottish Borders LGBT Equality organisation, told us: “We were very pleased that the Scottish Borders worked with us to ensure there is no place for Pastor Angus Buchan to preach his messages of intolerance.

"Buchan’s views that LGBT people are diseased and can be cured, and that men should dominate women and physically punish children in the family unit are extremely damaging.

"In my view this crosses the line between freedom of speech and hate speech.

“Of course he can still appear in another private venue, but many in the Borders area are quite angry about his views and I think would want to demonstrate if Buchan is allowed to preach in another location here.”

The South African Pastor, who is of Scottish origin, preaches to huge congregations throughout the world.

But his views on male dominance and how homosexuality can be cured by prayer have caused outrage.

He was due to talk in Galashiels next Monday as part of a six-date tour of the UK.

Susie Stein, service manager of the Scottish Borders Rape Crisis, is pleased the event has been cancelled.

She said: "We are an organisation supporting all women and girls who have experienced sexual violence at any time in their lives.

"We are concerned by Buchan’s misogynist and homophobic views and comments."

Pastor Buchan founded his own ministry and also set up an orphanage after initially adopting 27 children along with his wife, Jill.

The orphanage is now home to 200 youngsters.

His biography says he is originally a Zambian maize and cattle farmer who was forced to sell everything and move to Greytown in KwaZulu-Natal in 1976 due to political unrest in Zambia.

He started the Shalom Ministries in 1980.

Alastair Lings, who is a founder and coordinator of the Borders Bisexual Lesbian And Gay Group, believes Pastor Buchan should be allowed to preach in the Borders - so his views can be challenged.

He said: "Mr Buchan's views may be a little unpleasant but I have not been able to find anything that he has actually said that amounts to incitement to hatred.

"I think Mr Buchan should be allowed to speak somewhere in the Borders, so that we can challenge his views and demonstrate the folly of his views.

"Freedom of speech is vital in a democracy. Without it we would never have achieved the LGBT equality that we now enjoy.

"We think it is unlikely that Mr Buchan will incite hatred against LGBT people, or cause distress to people in the Borders. He should be allowed to speak. I encourage LGBT people to listen to what he has to say, then challenge him and demonstrate his ignorance of LGBT matters".

The Hope Church in Tweedbank, which has around 100 members, is part of the evangelical network called New Frontiers.

The Hope Church said it would have been charging £5 a ticket to cover the costs of the Volunteer Hall venue.

Senior pastor Mike McLeister stated: "We as a Church steer well clear of homophobic organisations and events."