THE National’s cartoonist Greg Moodie has won the coveted Torphichen Citizen of the Year Award “for bringing disrepute to the village”.
The artist was presented with the Katrina Cockburn Memorial trophy on Saturday as part of the West Lothian town’s Gala Day celebrations.
The annual award traditionally recognises a resident who has displayed outstanding community spirit.
Earlier this year the artist, who describes himself as “technically Dundonian but currently residing in the People’s Republic of Torphichen (pop. 570)”, produced a series of murals based on the Burns poem Tam O’ Shanter for the Torphichen Inn, the only pub in the "village-state".
Gala Day Committee secretary Cathy Murdoch said: “There really was no contest. Nobody does disreputable quite like Greg.”
Moodie said he was “delighted but mystified” by the decision and that he had to have the concept of community spirit explained to him.
“I can only imagine it’s been a lean year for nominations," he said. "But the Village People are very wise, and I will do everything in my power to continue being shady and unprincipled on their behalf.”
Moodie bowed to the newly crowned Gala Day Queen, Rosie Dunlop, 11, and said: “Your majesty, you and Freddie Mercury are all the royalty we need.”
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