SELKIRK Colonial Society has announced engineer Ernie Lamza as Standard Bearer for this year's Common Riding.

The chemical engineer has lived in both the USA and Monaco, but recently relocated to Aberdeen.

Ernie was born in Viewfield Hospital and went to both Philiphaugh Primary and Selkirk High School.

While at school he played cornet in both Selkirk High and Selkirk Silver bands.

He studied Chemical Engineering at Heriot-Watt University and graduated in 1982.

While a student in Edinburgh he met his future wife, Nina. His working life started in Aberdeen with the American oil company Conoco, a move which later took him to their headquarters in USA for two years before returning to the UK.

In 2012 he moved overseas again, this time to Monaco, and it was while there that he applied to become the Selkirk Colonial Society Standard Bearer.

Ernie is the second son of Sheila and Ernie Lamza who lived in Selkirk for over 60 years, leaving for Fife in 2014 to be closer to their daughter, Helen, and youngest son Brian.

Many will remember his dad, Ernie, now in his 90s, who provided the music at the Common Riding Ball for 50 years. His brother Robert was Selkirk Colonial Society standard bearer in 2005, and his sister Helen will be Lady Busser in 2016.

Now back in Aberdeen working as Chief Operating Officer for the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre, Ernie is both delighted and proud to be the Colonial Society Standard Bearer for 2016.

Ernie and Nina have two children, Kim who is lives and works in London, and Mark, who is studying chemical engineering in Glasgow.

Selkirk Colonial Society want to hear from any returning "exiles" or their descendants, or any visitors from overseas, who are attending this year’s Common Riding.

Contact chairman, Ian Clapperton, or any member of the Society, or come along to the coffee morning in the Parish Church Hall on March 19.