AS events to mark the battle of Flodden get under way, history enthusiasts can now commemorate the famous battle from the comfort of their own home.

This month has seen the release of The Flooers O' The Forest, an album packed with music, poetry and prose inspired by the bloody conflict.

Dedicated to the memory of those who died on the battlefield, the two CDs contain an eclectic mix of music, from slow and atmospheric songs to catchy tunes with a modern pop twist.

And the release has given local children the chance to shine, with a performance by pupils from Drumlanrig and St Cuthberts Primary School in Hawick.

The album was released by traditional music label Greentrax, based in East Lothian.

A spokesperson said: "To our knowledge, this is the first time that Flodden has been the subject of a collection of songs, music, poems and prose. "Many tracks were licensed from labels worldwide, while others were recorded specially for the project.

"This has been a labour of love for all concerned and a great sense of pride was felt when the project was completed."

Tracks on the album include material by Dick Gaughan, Archie Fisher & Garnet Rogers, Celticburn, Lau, Karine Polwart, Steve McDonald, Rob Bell, The Owel Service & Alison O'Donnell, 'McCalman, Quigg and Bayne', Gary Cleghorn, Scocha, Drinkers' Drouth with Davy Steele, Robin Laing, Gary West and the children of Drumlanrig and St Cuthberts Primary School in Hawick.

And there are also readings by BBC Radio Scotland presenter Iain Anderson, the actor John Shedden, and Alastair McDonald.

The first CD opens with Dick Gaughan's iconic version of The Flooers O' The Forest, which is followed by a range of male and female solos, as well as duets and instrumental tracks.

The second CD is made up of four poems and two pieces of prose. One of the poems, simply titled Flodden, was written by a lady who was deeply affected by what she saw and felt when she visited Flodden Battlefield.

She passed the poem to the Minister of nearby Branxton Church in the summer of 1981 and he subsequently gave a copy of the poem to tour guide Jim Paris.

Jim was the brains behind the album, bringing the idea for the collection to Greentrax, which then developed into a project involving a number of people from different fields.

The Flooers O' The Forest is now available to buy at http://greentrax.com/music/product/the-battle-of-flodden and costs �12.