SELKIRK Colonial Society unveiled their new casting flag last week ahead of the 2016 Common Riding.

And it has been attached to a historic part of the town's history - wood from an ancient church pew.

Designed by local business man, Bryan Hoggan, the new banner is smaller than previous Society flags to allow Standard Bearers from all over the world an easier week or two learning the all-important cast.

A spokesman for Selkirk Colonial Society said: "By having a smaller flag it will make it easier for Colonial Standard Bearers to learn the cast - they generally only have a week to prepare."

The new flag is fitted with a pole created from 250-year-old Oregon Pine from Canada.

The timber reached maturity after a century and exported to Scotland in the mid-1800s, after being seasoned for a few years.

The pine was made into a pew in 1861 for the former St Mary’s West Church.

For over 100 years it pew served congregation members until the 1980s when the Church was demolished. The spokesman added: "Fortunately the pew was saved from the bonfire by local joiner and craftsman Falconer Grieve who stored it for future use.

"The former pew has now been recycled by Falconer into a pole who generously donated it for the new Colonial Society casting flag, which will enable the original piece of wood to have a useful life for many more years.

The original flag of the Colonials was designed and manufactured in Canada in 1911 by the founding members of the Society.