'Horror' in Edinburgh as 'severed head' found on Cowgate city street, with 'gruesome images' circulating online

2 November 2024, 22:35 | Updated: 3 November 2024, 00:51

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By EJ Ward

A 'severed head' was discovered in Edinburgh’s Old Town, prompting police to lock down parts of the city centre and evacuate nearby pubs on Saturday night.

Police Scotland said they were dealing with a road traffic incident while comments left on the force's Facebook page claim the images of the alleged incident are "gruesome" and "horrific".

Eyewitnesses reported the shocking find in a street, though some initially believed it to be a Halloween prank. “I almost laughed because it’s Halloween weekend and thought it was a prank,” one witness told the Daily Record.

The discovery has yet to be confirmed by police, who stated they were dealing with a “road traffic incident” around 8 pm after "reports of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle."

Meanwhile, graphic photos seen by LBC allegedly connected to the incident were shared online, sparking concern on social media, with many users commenting on the “horrific” nature of the images.

Forensic teams have set up two tents at the scene, and police officers are maintaining a heavy presence in the Cowgate area. Dozens of officers responded swiftly, leading to pub evacuations.

Katie McLaughlin, 31, from Dumfries, was in Bannerman’s Bar at the time. She told The Daily Record: "He said police were outside and a severed head had been found in the Cowgate. I almost laughed because it's Halloween weekend and I thought it was a prank.

"We went to the bar where the staff said, no, it's real. They said that the police had ordered them to shut the pub. They then let us all leave by the back door but we were able to have a look down the street."

Katie added that after being allowed to leave through the back, she saw several police cars, officers, and a silver forensic tent with tape blocking off the area. “We’re in another pub now, but the whole area is sealed off. It feels surreal,” she said.

Another witness noted: “Police arrived suddenly and started taping the area off. It looks serious, and there’s no sign of any cars within the cordon.”

Blair Street, Guthrie Street, and Candlemaker Row remain closed, with police instructing multiple surrounding venues to shut for the evening to facilitate the investigation. Several bars and nightclubs, set to host Halloween events, were impacted.

In a statement, Bachata Blues Edinburgh announced: “Following police instructions, all Cowgate venues are closed tonight due to a major incident.”