Online activities arranged to help make up for cancellation of Peebles Beltane Festival

PeeblescCornet Andrew Napier and right-hand man Gregor McGrath at last year's festival

A spokesman for the event’s organising committee said: “Sadly, as we all know now, the beltane festival will not be going ahead this year.

“Everyone’s priorities must be getting through the coronavirus pandemic and ensuring that when we can meet in crowds again, we can all come and enjoy the next festival.

“We do not, however, want to see the date pass without marking it in some way, so a few events will be taking place that are perfectly acceptable under the current Scottish Government guidelines.”

That marking of the event includes encouraging townsfolk on social media to update their profile pictures to ones related to past festivals, photograph competitions and a virtual pub quiz.

The event spokesperson added: “Firstly, we’ll be asking everyone to turn Facebook red and white.

“Basically, we want to see you change your profile picture to something beltane-related.

“It could be of you or your children taking part as a child on the Saturday morning, a member of a local band, on horseback, in the sports or as a principal, basically any picture of you or yours at beltane.

“Over the week, we will also be posting some video clips of Beltane over the years and we will be catching up with some of our past principals who are marking various anniversaries.

For further details, see the event’s Facebook page.