ONE of Scotland's most famous fictional dogs is in the running to win a statue competition in Selkirk.

Black Bob spent almost four decades coming to the rescue on the pages of the The Dandy and Weekly News.

Although the fictional collie came from the imagination of creator Jack Prout, his cottage home in the Corbie Lynn and many of the settings around Selkirk for his adventures were actual places.

And for many schoolboys and schoolgirls throughout the 1940s, 50s and 60s, the Royal and Ancient Burgh was known for being the home of Black Bob.

The courageous canine has now been shortlisted for one of three community art projects to be installed around the town's recently completed flood protection scheme.

Selkirkshire councillor Vicky Davidson said: "We have a group who want to bring forward the idea of honouring Black Bob and we are delighted that our proposal, the Spirit of Black Bob, has been short-listed."

A total of £100,000 has been earmarked for the artworks to be installed at the new Long Philip Burn Park, the plaza area of the new Bridge Street footbridge, and the Common Riding crossing point on the Ettrick Water.

Four short-listed proposals for each site will go on display at a forthcoming public exhibition.

Selkirk community councillor Graham Easton admits Black Bob would be a popular choice for the Long Philip Burn Park. He said: "I recently received a letter asking why the town of Selkirk didn't have a statue to Black Bob already.

"The gentleman was delighted with what Selkirk had to offer but there should be some recognition that the town is the home of Black Bob."

Black Bob originally appeared as a written story in the November 25, 1944 issue of The Dandy.

DC Thomson staff artist Jack Sprout continued drawing Bob and his owner Andrew Glen for both The Dandy and Weekly News for almost four decades.

And there were eight Black Bob annuals published as his popularity soared throughout the 1960s.

The 12 artists on the flood protection shortlist have each been given £750 to develop their ideas ahead of the exhibition.

A spokesman for the project added: "The public exhibition is for local people to provide feedback, before a final decision is made on which artists have been successful."