THE condition of the historic wall on Melrose Road, Galashiels, is continuing to cause alarm for local residents. The wall, close to the spot where Sir Walter Scott used to look at the Eildon Hills, has fallen into a state of disrepair.

And with a dispute over ownership between Scottish Borders Council and the Waverley Housing Association, the matter doesn’t look like being resolved anytime soon.

“It is an important landmark and it needs to be looked after,” said Judith Cleghorn, of the Langlee Residents Association. “Kids keep pulling the stones out of it, and it is now getting to the stage where it is dangerous.” Margaret Ross, Chief Executive of Waverley Housing said: “We await a response from SBC in regard to ownership of this wall, and until clear evidence is provided by them as to any responsibility on the part of Waverley Housing, we are unable to comment further.” When asked about the matter, a spokesperson for Scottish Borders Council, said: “While the Council is not accepting liability, it has committed to assessing the extent of the repairs required to be made to the wall, which will allow an estimated cost of the repair to be determined. The Council will continue to have discussions with Waverley Housing regarding ownership of the wall.”