Villagers defend Forth’s “honour”

And now they are to challenge the Daily Telegraph, and those behind a new travel book, to come to Forth and see just how much there is in the village.

Locals are furious at a book extract used in last Saturday’s Telegraph magazine. Author Tim Moore, masquerading as a travelling salesman, was checking out Britain’s “bleakest” towns. Even ignoring comments about inbreeding, Forth was a problem from the word go.

But locals hit back this week. “It is a travesty,” said Gazette correspondent Jean Thomson.

And fellow resident Rena Whyte said: “We are not going to tolerate Forth being miscried.”

For more information on this story, pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette which is in the shops now.