Terrified woman threw toothbrush at charging pigs

A leading solicitor pulled his wife to safety after she was chased by a prized pig in the grounds of a luxury country estate, a court heard. Immigration lawyer John Pryde pulled wife Lily into the main entrance of the historic Whittinghame House in East Lothian, Scotland, after she claimed to have been confronted and pursued by the “huge” creature. Mr Pryde, 67, heard his wife “screaming” just moments after the couple had returned to their 19th century mansion house apartment following a country walk.



He opened the front door to find spouse Lily “very upset and crying” and just feet away from the massive rare breed Tamworth. The unusual tale emerged last Monday during the trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of pig farmer Kevin Martin, who is accused of culpably and recklessly allowing the pigs in his care to freely roam the grounds of Whittinghame Estate, near Haddington, in February last year. Giving evidence, the solicitor said: “We got home around 4pm and I could see the pigs roaming about the lawn again. I got out my car and went towards the front doors which lead to my apartment, but my wife wanted to wash her boots as they were muddy.

“But just as I was opening the inside door I heard screaming – it was my wife. I pulled the [main] door open just as she was coming in and she was in a big panic and very upset as there was a pig behind her. She was screaming that the pig had chased her. It was right next to her – it was a huge pig. She was very upset and crying.” Lily also gave evidence and described the moment she was confronted by the Tamworths. The 47-year-old said: “I went to the garage to clean my boots with a toothbrush. I looked up and saw two big pigs charging towards me.



“I saw them charging and I threw my toothbrush at them and I began to run away and I shouted ‘John’. They were running after me and I ran towards the house – I was terrified.” Mr Martin, who is defending himself in court, cross-examined Mr Pryde and accused him of embellishing his version of events because he really wanted rid of the pigs as they were affecting the value of the property. The court heard Whittinghame House residents had made repeated calls to Mr Martin’s landlord, the police and local authority over a period of months in a bid to solve the problem of the pigs escaping from their nearby pen. The trial in front of Sheriff Donald Corke continues later this month.