A BID for the Borderlands region to become 2025 UK City of Culture has not progressed to the longlist stage.

The Borderlands bid was one of 20 areas or places to enter the national competition run by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Eight others made the longlist, including Bradford, Cornwall, County Durham and Derby.

South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) Chair, Professor Russel Griggs OBE, said: "While disappointed that we have not made the 2025 UK City of Culture longlist, it has still been a thoroughly worthwhile exercise.

"It has helped showcase our passion and ambition to the rest of the country, particularly around the twin crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change.

"We pass on our congratulations and good luck to those areas and places who successfully made the 2025 UK City of Culture longlist."

The ambitious bid was submitted by South of Scotland Enterprise on behalf of the five different local authority areas of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Carlisle City, Cumbria and Northumberland who make up the Borderlands Partnership.

The winner will be announced in spring 2022 and will follow Coventry's tenure from 2021.

The bid aimed to develop the strong partnership developed between the councils as they developed the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.