LOCHCARRON of Scotland and the Selkirk committee of Cancer Research UK have teamed up to design and produce an exclusive tartan scarf.

Woven at the company’s Selkirk mill, it features the charity’s corporate colours of pink and blue and was officially launched at Lochcarron’s visitor centre on Friday night.

The new scarf’s design has been registered as a tartan on the Scottish Register of Tartans, with Lochcarron producing an initial run of 300 scarves.

Profits from sales of the scarf, which retails at £22.50, will go towards helping fund research into cancer.

The scarf can be purchased at the Liberty Trading shop in Selkirk’s Market Place.

The project is the brainchild of Selkirk committee member Elaine Monro, who hit upon the idea while having a coffee in Lochcarron’s café.

“It struck me as a great way to raise funds,” said Elaine, “and I can’t thank Lochcarron of Scotland enough for their enthusiastic support at every stage of the process. They have been fantastic!”

Celebrities who have agreed to become ambassadors for the scarf include Scotland sevens player Mark Robertson of Melrose, who won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a member of the Great Britain sevens team.

Another high-profile supporter is Gordon’s world record-breaking wheelchair racer Sammi Kinghorn, named in September as ‘Scottish Sportsperson of the Year’ – the first para-athlete ever to win this award.

The celebrity trio of supporters is completed by well-known panto villain and radio personality Grant Stott.

As well as the scarves, the Selkirk Committee is offering for sale pendants and earrings made from off-cuts of the tartan, as well as miniature fairy dolls.