Bill McLaren memorial bust unveiled in Hawick

A MEMORIAL bust of the veteran rugby commentator Bill McLaren has been unveiled in his home town of Hawick, three years after his death.

Along with the bust, which cost £11,500, councillors are hopeful that a rugby heritage cetnre will boost the border town’s tourism.

The statue has been placed in Wilton Lodge Park, near to memorials to motorcycling legends Steve Hislop and Jimmy Guthrie.

The project was funded by public subscription and donations from local groups, and was based mostly on video tapes from the BBC and McLaren’s family.

The much-loved commentator died at the age of 86 in January of 2010, having spent nearly 50 years commenting on rugby.

He retired in 2002, and was the first non-international to be added to the International Rugby Hall of Fame.