AN ancient Scottish Borders title, bought with money stolen from the Metropolitan Police Force by one of its accountants, is to be auctioned in London next month.

The 900-year-old title of Baron of Chirnside, in Berwickshire, will be sold in a bid to recover some of the #5m siphoned from the force's funds by Anthony Williams.

In May last year, Williams, 56, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to seven-and-a-half years' imprisonment for a fraud which stunned and embarrassed the force.

He used the money to buy run-down properties in the Highland village of Tomintoul, for business and accommodation developments, and is fondly remembered there, where the benefits of the stolen money are still being felt.

The hotel and restaurant he refurbised at a cost of more than #2m are successful, and the publicity surrounding the village's notorious ``laird'' has proved to be a great draw for tourists.

Williams stole the money over 11 years, when he was in sole charge of a secret account to finance undercover investigations into organised crime.

In 1990, he spent an estimated #80,000, the equivalent of two years' salary, on the title of Baron of Chirnside. Now, the title, which no longer confers any real powers on its owner, is to be sold for around #70,000, along with 32 other titles, by Manorial Auctioneers Limited.

A spokesman for the force said he estimated it would only be able to recover around #1m of the amount Williams stole.