A LONG-SERVING scout master from Selkirk has won a public vote to be immortalised in a mosaic artwork.

Graham Coulson won the three-way vote held by artist Svetlana Kondakova to feature in her flood defence designs.

Almost 350 votes were cast during the month-long poll with 189 of them going to the stalwart of the Scouts.

Mr Coulson was nominated onto the shortlist for his lifelong leadership of and dedication to the Selkirk Scout Group, as well as his contributions to the Selkirk Opera and Selkirk Pantomime as past president, member and star.

Artist Svetlana added: "Mr Coulson will now be portrayed in a mythological mosaic mural as a kelpie tamer.

"The Selkirk kelpie, made in the town colours of scarlet and blue, will symbolise the River Ettrick and floods and Mr Coulson will be depicted taming the beast as a metaphorical protector of the town."

In January Svetlana invited Selkirk residents to name living individuals who have made an impact on the town and its people.

The public nomination resulted in a shortlist of three local men - Jim Newlands and Steve Penny as well as Mr Coulson.

Following the gentlemen’s agreement to participate in the project, the shortlist was opened to a public vote in mid-February and resulted with 347 votes being submitted on Svetlana’s website.

The mosaic is being produced in sections at the artist’s studio in Edinburgh and will be installed permanently onto a flood defence wall in May.