Roads operators have come under fire after it emerged a "Scotland Welcomes You" sign at a major border crossing has been missing for five months.

Visitors heading north from England on the A1 have been oblivious they are entering Scotland since the end of March when the sign was damaged. BEAR Scotland, which took over the £81m five-year contract to maintain the A1 in April from Amey, said they plan to have a new sign put up by the end of August.

However, tourist chiefs and community leaders are demanding a swifter response to improve the border crossing at Lamberton, just north of Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Sheila Campbell, of VisitBorders, said: "Signposting on the A1 is BEAR Scotland's responsibility. We will be chasing them up to find out what is to be done about the situation. People come to the crossing point to photograph themselves with the sign - so it is something that needs resolved."

Amey removed the previous sign for welcoming A1 motorists to Scotland last year when it was labelled outdated, small and too low to the ground, allowing vandals to target it.

It was set to be replaced by a larger, updated sign in March but when it was being put up the sign fell off its brackets and was damaged beyond repair.