GALASHIELS residents who were evacuated after a gas leak was found have returned to their homes.

Temporary traffic lights remain in place as repairs continue following the discovery at the junction of Duke Street and King Street on Saturday (September 21).

Five properties were evacuated but residents returned to their houses at around 4pm on Monday after Scottish Gas Networks (SGN) carried out safety checks.

A spokesperson for SGN said: “There are further repairs to carry out to our pipes in the carriageway, and our engineers are working hard to make the required fixes to the affected pipes. 

“The temporary traffic lights installed over the weekend remain in place around this work area for safety and to manage traffic flow.”

Scottish Borders Council said it was “likely” that the lights would be in place for the rest of the week.

“Due to emergency gas works there will be two sets of manually controlled lights between King Street and Wilderhaugh in Galashiels,” said a spokesperson for the local authority.

“It is likely the works will be in place for the remainder of the week. We appreciate the patience and understanding of drivers and apologise for the disruption, delays and any inconvenience this may cause.”