A shocked councillor was just finishing a speech on welcoming Afghan refugees into the area when he received a racist message from a local resident.
Dougie Campbell, a former volunteer with the Scottish Refugee Council, helped secure a commitment 18 months ago for Dumfries and Galloway to resettle 20 families who were fleeing the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The move was part of the UK-wide Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme that promised shelter to families who had previously supported UK and US troops in Afghanistan, but then faced being slaughtered after the Taliban regained power in 2021.