Night in old haunt won't be so Jolly for Miss UK

Published on Friday 29 October 2004 12:06

MISS UK, Nicola Jolly, is to spend the night roughing it on the damp stone floors of the vaults beneath the streets of Edinburgh.

The 23-year-old Scots model will be the star guest at a charity sleep-over in the Old Town to raise cash for homeless people.

The former Miss Scotland will be joined by a psychic expert for her overnight stay in The Caves, South Niddry Street, which have been dubbed one of the world’s most haunted places.

It is hoped that Sunday’s event will raise enough cash for the Edinburgh charity Streetwork to buy 300 sleeping bags, pairs of gloves and woolly hats. They will be distributed throughout the winter to those sleeping rough.

Streetwork director Tam Hendry, who will be one of the group to confront the spooky goings-on in The Caves, said: "I’m not sure that the experience will be an enjoyable one, but we have to remember that many people sleep in dark and damp conditions like this every night, through no choice of their own.

"If the event can draw attention to the charity and the crucial front-line work that we do on the streets of Edinburgh, then being scared to death for the night will be worth it.

"I just hope Miss UK will protect me from any evil spirits."