Spoiler alert: How the Antiques Road Trip experts got on in the Borders

Stephen Moore and Angus Ashworth have an archery shoot-off at Thirladean, near Selkirk.

The new series of Antiques Road Trip saw firm favourite Angus Ashworth take on newbie Stephen Moore in a trip around the region, as well as North Northumberland, shopping for the best deals in antiques to take to auction in Kendal.

While scooting between the shops in Melrose, Innerleithen and Kelso in their Hillman Super Minx, they also travelled to Selkirk to meet up with Doug Anderson of the Ettrick Forest Archers for a longbow lesson, and local historian Lindsay Neil to chat about the history of the Selkirk Silver Arrow.

Angus also took a trip to Hawick, to learn about the prisoner of war camp at Stobs, near Hawick, and learned about the work being done by volunteers there to remember those who died there.

Stephen trumped Angus in the archery, despite the former hitting a gold, but it was Angus whose face was slightly less red after the car crash of an auction in Kendal.

The pair’s Borders buys sank like a lead ballon.

Angus bought railway-style whistles at both Old Melrose and Keepsakes in Innerleithen, but both ran out of puff, losing money at the auction.

Stephen came across well, showing good all-round knowledge, but nevertheless lost £50 on the sale of an insurance fire badge, bought from Old Melrose for £120.

He also lost £55 on a dodgy concrete doghouse he bought over the Border, when it sold for just a fiver.

There were some victories which helped keep them in the game for the rest of the week, with Stephen making a tidy £50 profit on an enameled marriage box from Old Melrose, which sold for £80.

And Angus, who also lost money on a framed “Newes” paper from 1665 on the great plague and some tokens from the shop in Innerleithen, made a humble profit of a tenner on a wee Irish bog oak mini pot he bought at Old Melrose for £8.

When all the sums were added up and auction costs deducted, Angus was slightly ahead of his rival, with £139.54 left of his £200 start total, Stephen being left with £132.44.

The pair battle it out over the course of this week, with the last daytrip being shown on Friday.

The show proved two things. One, you can certainly try to barter in Borders antiques shops, but it won’t neccesarily get you far. And two, a vast knowledge of antiques does not neccesarily mean you’ll make a fortune.