Greyfriars Bobby has nose rubbed off

GREYFRIARS Bobby has had his nose rubbed off - just 12 months after getting a £400 nose job.

'My dog has no nose': Greyfriars Bobby's nose has been rubbed off again. Picture: Jon Savage

The iconic statue on Edinburgh’s George IV Bridge draws thousands of tourists as well as locals each year, with people rubbing the dog’s nose for good luck.

But now the legendary Skye Terrier statue is in need of further repairs after his nose was rubbed off again.

The city’s Culture Convener Richard Lewis has appealed to passers-by to be gentle when rubbing Bobby’s nose for good luck, adding: “The rubbing does cause damage.”

Greyfriars Bobby gained fame after keeping a vigil by his master’s grave for 14 years, before his own death in January 1872.

Baroness Burdett-Coutts, a local aristocrat, paid for a statue to be created shortly after the dog’s death, with the monument being unveiled in November 1873.

Originally a drinking fountain - for people and dogs - the statue is Edinburgh’s smallest listed building, and stands near the entrance to Greyfriars Kirkyard, where Bobby’s master John Gray is buried.