AN apology has been issued by the group who entered a fancy dress competition as paedophile Jimmy Savile and his schoolgirl victims.

The Jim'll Fix It entry won third prize in the floats section at Lauder Common Riding's fancy dress parade - and caused nationwide outrage.

Members of the offending 2010 Club - established to allow young men in Lauderdale to participate in the Common Riding festivities - issued a statement at the weekend.

It said: "We, the members of the 2010 club who participated in Lauder Fancy Dress, recognise we made a serious error of judgement in our choice of subject for our float at this year's event.

"It was never our intention to cause offence to anyone.

"For the upset we have caused, or we cause, we unreservedly apologise." Local police confirmed this week that they hadn't received any official complaints about the prank. But they are investigating a related incident where a Common Riding spokeswoman, who defended the float, had dog excrement plastered over her doorstep.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "We have received a complaint about dog dirt being put on a lady's doorstep in Lauder. We haven't ruled out that there is a connection with the float." Jimmy Savile was described as prolific and predatory sex offender in a Metropolitan Police report.

He is suspected of abusing more than 200 people during a 60 year period before his death, aged 84, in 2011.