Major road locked down as huge police presence swarms street on Cowgate - The cordon at Bannerman's Bar.

Edinburgh police confirm man, 74, dead after being hit by bus amid viral 'severed head' claims

by · Birmingham Live

A 74 year old man has lost his life after being hit by a single-decker bus in Edinburgh's Cowgate area on Saturday night. The incident occurred just hours before reports emerged of a "severed head" being discovered in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town, with forensic tents being set up along the street.

Police Scotland initially described the incident as a "road traffic incident", with eyewitnesses claiming several nearby streets had been cordoned off. Officers were called to the scene at around 7.25pm on Saturday, November 2, 2024, reports the Mirror.

Sergeant Louise Birrell, Road Policing Unit, Edinburgh, stated: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died. Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of this incident."

READ MORE: Pedestrian struck in Edinburgh's Cowgate as police investigate reports of a severed head

Reports of 'severed head' near Edinburgh Cowgate as forensic cops swoop on scene (Image: daily record)

A local reported that a pub worker had instructed her and her friends to leave the premises due to the discovery of a severed head in the area. Katie McLaughlin, 31, from Dumfries, was at Bannerman's Bar when she and her friends were locked in after around 8pm.

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."