MORE than 500 hunters headed onto Selkirk Hill at the weekend in search of the illusive haggis.

And, as was forecast by organisers, they returned with a record catch.

Glorious sunshine and crisp footing made for an excellent morning's sport.

And for the first time in the historic hunt’s history, woolly mammoth haggi were caught on the breeding grounds.

Dave Scott from the organising committee told us: “The woolly mammoth haggi is an ancient strain of our beloved creature and they were plentiful in Selkirk for the first time this year.

“For decades it was thought they were extinct, but we have noticed more and more of these large colourful haggi here in Selkirk when we've been doing our inspections.

"There was a fear that they'd be like grey squirrels and scare away the smaller indigenous haggi but they all seem to live happily together.

"We're not sure why they migrated to Selkirk Hill but we're happy to have them.

“Every year there are more and more hunters but we are lucky having such tremendous breeding grounds that our haggis numbers remain fairly solid.”

As has become customary over the decades, the hunters were piped from the Market Place at 11.02am.

And, as superstition insists, the Haggis Polka was danced outside the Argus Centre to bring luck.

Matthew Burgess, who took over as head huntsman from his late father Bob, made sure the strict rules were adhered to before toasting the haggis on competition of the day’s sport.

Mr Burgess told us: “There can be few better sights than 500 tartan clad hunters marching towards Selkirk Hill.

“Our forefathers maintained this wonderful tradition even when haggis was scarce, and their hard work has meant that today the next generation will never go hungry on Burns Night.”

Experts, many with with red noses, within the Town’s Arms hunt headquarters weighed in more than 300 haggi on Sunday afternoon – including more than 30 of the recently discovered woolly mammoth strain.

Town’s Arms mine host Louise Stephen, who provided the pre- and post-hunt whisky toast, was delighted with the day’s sport.

She said: “Few if any left the hill without a catch. What a great day everyone had.”