A luxury mansion which caught the eye of Michael Jackson as part of his apparent plan to move to Scotland is set to be sold to someone else.

A mystery foreigner is understood to be close to buying the #500,000 Glenmayne House - quashing fans' hopes that Jackson and new son Michael junior will move to the Borders hideaway to escape the Californian smog.

Already Glenmayne House owner Tony Curtis has received Jackson fan mail from youngsters in India, Singapore, Canada and the US, desperate to hear from him.

Excitement over a possible move north was fuelled last month when Jackson made a whistlestop visit to the Cameron House Hotel, at Loch Lomond.

He was then spotted out castle-hunting near Galashiels, in the Borders, and asked his advisers to get details of Glenmayne House, Peebles, from selling agents Savills of Edinburgh.

But last night Mr Jamie McNabb, of Savills, said: ''He received brochures on a number of homes throughout Scotland and was apparently seen looking at the outside of Glenmayne House, although no appointment was made to see the owner or inside the property.

''One of Michael Jackson's entourage later asked for further details and we have had no more dealings with them.

''We have got very strong international interest now in Glenmayne House from another source and expect a sale. We cannot say any more at this stage.''