THE nomination of Helensburgh wheelchair tennis hero Gordon Reid to receive the freedom of Argyll and Butehas been confirmed.

Gordon's gold and silver medals at the Paralympics in Rio, reported in last week's Advertiser, were swiftly followed by news that he had risen to number one in the men's world rankings.

His two Rio medals added to his triumphs earlier this year in winning the men's singles at the Australian Open and the men's singles and doubles at Wimbledon.

Members of Argyll and Bute Council's Helensburgh and Lomond area committee agreed last month to recommend that Gordon should become only the second individual to be granted the freedom of the area - a move that was ratified on Thursday at a full council meeting in Lochgilphead.

A report prepared for Thursday's meeting by Douglas Hendry, the council's executive director of customer services, states: “The achievements of Gordon Reid are significant and have helped to add to a sense of civic pride not only in his home community of Helensburgh but across Argyll and Bute.

“Members of the council are asked to support the unanimous agreement of the Helensburgh and Lomond area committee that Gordon Reid should be awarded the Freedom of Argyll and Bute in recognition of his national and international success."

However, one honour which seems unlikely to come Gordon's way is that of a gold post box - the accolade bestowed on the home towns of the athletes who won Olympic and Paralympic gold in London in 2012.

Helensburgh resident and former Argyll and Bute provost Billy Petrie - the only other individual to have received the freedom of Argyll and Bute - made the suggestion in last week's issue of the Advertiser, but the Royal Mail say that was a one-off honour for Team GB's London winners.

A spokeswoman said: “As the host nation, our gold post boxes were a unique, highly visible and fitting way to recognise the successes of Team GB and ParalympicsGB.

"In late 2012, we confirmed that all 110 post boxes would remain gold on a permanent basis, with a plaque naming the athlete and their achievement, or the location's connection with London 2012.

"This year, Brazil, as the host nation of Rio 2016, has the honour of celebrating the Games in its own way.”

In the wake of Mr Petrie's suggestion last week we put the question to the Advertiser's Facebook audience, asking how the town should mark Gordon's Rio success.

Besides echoing the gold post box suggestion, there was also support for naming the new leisure centre which is to form the centrepiece of the town's £17 million waterfront redevelopment after him, immortalising his achievement on one of the plinths in the Colquhoun Square outdoor museum, and replacing the controversial 'Face' on the town's civic centre with an image of Gordon.

Others suggested a lasting drive to boost sport in general, and disabled sport in particular, in the town, setting up a tennis training trust, or providing top-quality tennis facilities in Hermitage Park.

The freedom of Argyll and Bute was also given to the ship's company of HMS Argyll in 2001, and was re-conferred on the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 2010, having previously been awarded by the area's old district council in 1979.