IT is with great sadness that organisers of the Boswell Book Festival have had to cancel the event.

It follows the advice of the Scottish Government ‘that mass events should not take place, with effect from Monday, March 16, 2020.

A spokeswoman said: “The definition of a mass event, for this purpose, is any event expected to involve more than 500 attendees’.

“This advice has come through in the week that we had long planned to launch this year’s programme after months of work which is now available for all to see online at www.boswellbookfestival.co.uk

“I hope you will agree that this brims with the very best life stories from Victor Gregg, a 100

-year-old war veteran to the legendary comic and chat show host, Craig Ferguson and Amanda Owen, TV’s Yorkshire Shepherdess.

“I was also proud that we were to be the first Scottish Festival to stage, bestselling, Lady in Waiting, Anne Glenconner whose husband’s family originated from Ochiltree. They and many others would have made a worthy celebration of our 10th anniversary year.

“The good news is that thanks to Louis MacCallum at Dumfries House, organisers have been able to re-schedule the Festival to the weekend of October 9 to 11.

“So please block out that weekend in your diaries.”