SCOTTISH Borders Council (SBC) has announced that general waste collections in part of the Borders will be cancelled today (July 4) due to "a shortage of staff".

This latest cancellation - which affects the Kelso, Jedburgh, Hownam, Oxnam, and Yetholm route - is the sixth such cancellation in the last week (since June 27).

Shared to its Facebook page, an SBC spokesperson said: "Affected areas are Newbigging, Brundeanlaws, Hindhope, Plenderleath, Riccalton, Towford, Buchtrig, Chatto, Over Whitton, Heavyside, Woodside, Clifton on Bowmont, Primside, Venchen, Cherrytrees, Greenlees, Frogden, Caverton Mains, Cessford, Upper Samiston, Swinside, Oxnam Row.

"Residents are advised to leave their bins presented and we will arrange to collect them as soon as possible.

"If we have not returned to empty the bins within five working days of the scheduled collection, residents are advised to please remove their bin from the collection point.

"In this instance we will collect extra bagged waste on the next scheduled collection day

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

Yesterday (Monday, July 3) the council announced cancellations to collections in the Yarrow Valley, St Mary’s Loch area.

On Friday, June 30 two sets of cancellations were revealed - one in Newton Don, Nenthorn, Stichill, Ednam, Hendersyde Park (rescheduled for July 4), and the other covering parts of Berwickshire, including Duns Castle, The Hardens, and Longformacus.

There were a further two cancellations on June 27 and 28.