Burryman taken to hospital after getting burr in his eye

South Queensferry summer fete ground to a halt this weekend when the Burryman was injured by one of his own burrs, the fruit of the burdock plant.



The famous Burryman parade, which dates back centuries, is attended by visitors from around the world who turn out to watch the flower-clad local man parade around town while drinking whisky through a straw. The origins of the parade near Edinburgh are shrouded in mystery, though some believe the tradition began as way of warding off evil spirits.





But this year’s Burryman, Andrew Taylor, became the unlikely victim of his own attire when one of the flower burrs got stuck in his eye resulting in a four hour visit to Accident and Emergency. Following his treatment, Mr Taylor said: “As I was walking about in my suit I became aware of something in my eye.



“There was nothing I could do in the suit but I had a look at my eye and as it was getting irritated thought I’d get it checked. I went to A&E where I was given a routine examination and discharged with antibiotics for the pain. It did help that I could take a little sip of whisky throughout the day. That eased the pain.”