Gordon Jess will be Lanark's 2016 Lord Cornet

The selection committe paid a surprise visit on Sunday, and Gordon accepted the role.

He will be installed as Cornet at the start of Lanimer Week in June.

“I am totally delighted,” he said on Monday.

“I am over the moon. It has not really sunk in yet.”

Gordon (46) of Green Lady Walk, Lanark, has a long Lanimer history and a good idea of just what he is letting himself in for.

Raised in Lanark – his father Harry had the driving school business until retiring recently - Gordon took part in his first Lanimer procession in 1973, the put in his own Lanimer entries from 1995.

Over the next 14 years he wowed the Lanimer crowds each June.

Initially, he produced humorous entries, but they were spectacularly detailed - and then he moved away from humour to stunning creations. Two of them, Heaven and Hell with its clouds, angels and devils, and the Polar entry which even had snow falling on to the crowds, won him the supreme award, the Silver Bell.

And Gordon took those, and his final entry, the Yellow Submarine, on to Carluke, to delight the crowds on their gala day.

Behind the scenes he was becoming involved in the Lanimer arrangements, and he is currently procession convener, organising the movement of Lanark’s crowning glory.

But now he will be leading the procession!

“I have seen it from this side of the fence, but it will be different, being in the firing line,” he said.

“The change fromlooking at it from where I have been for years to being up at the front will be mind blowing!”

And he is enthusiastic about the border visits.

“I am looking forward to going out to the various rides and representing the town, doing all the rideouts,” he said.

But the driving instructor will have to become a pupil - he will be starting riding lessons as soon as he can!