BEST friends are inseparable.

But two Peebles schoolgirls took this quite literally by handcuffing themselves to each other.

Priorsford Primary pupils Reece Holmes and Romilly Aikman didn’t break the law, in fact their actions were anything but criminal.

The ten year olds were locked together in aid of Comic Relief, raising £232 for the charity.

The girls were inspired after a game of cops and robbers and wondered what it would be like to be handcuffed for real.

And who better to be joined at the hip with than your best friend?

Reece’s mum Yvonne told us: “They had already been discussing doing a school project together, that’s what sparked this idea.

"Within two weeks they had worked out the logistics and agreed to do it to benefit others, so with Comic Relief starting it was perfect timing.”

The girls linked wrists last Saturday and would remain tethered for the next 24 hours whilst they canvassed for sponsors and carried out everyday activities.

With Romilly right-handed and Reece left-handed, the girls managed quite well to begin with, sharing the control to play computer games and dancing.

But the inseparable pair soon realised that everyday tasks like eating, brushing your teeth, and even walking upstairs, was not quite as simple when you’re hand-cuffed together.

“It was hilarious watching them getting in and out of the car,” said Yvonne.

“They both forgot they were attached, one jumped in and the other ultimately was dragged in! They bumped heads, it was like a scene from the game Twister. They couldn’t change clothes, or wear jackets properly while out looking for sponsors.”

Romilly’s mum, Monica added: “Twenty-four hours is a long time but they were brilliant together and so determined.

"We were pleasantly surprised and happy that the girls decided to do this challenge to benefit others.”

On the other hand, the girls' fathers said they would have much preferred their daughters to do a sponsored silence!

And when it came to sleep, the girls proved putting R&R together really does mean rest and relaxation. “They slept pretty well,” Yvonne said. “They were in bed by 10.30 and slept through until 7.15am.”

We asked the girls about their experience in handcuffs.

Romilly said: “It was fun but it was really awkward trying to do some things. Bending down was challenging and it took a while to work out how to get in the car. We had to be synchronised climbing stairs otherwise we would fall.

“Holding things was tricky, it made us think about what life must be like for people with one hand, it must be so hard.”

A trip to the supermarket led to more donations from amused shoppers. “We are shocked and happy at how much we’ve managed to raise for such a good cause,” said Reece.

But when the time came to free the girls from their shackles the unthinkable happened – Romilly’s dad lost the keys!

Yvonne explained: “Thankfully the cuffs had a safety latch so their freedom wasn’t delayed!”

The real question is after being bound to one another for 24 hours have the girls remained inseparable friends? Yvonne told us: “It was harder than they anticipated and they are glad to be free, but yes they are very much still best friends.”