Man found unconscious in road is rushed to hospital

A MAN was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was found lying unconscious on a road in the Capital.

The 37-year-old was discovered on Holyrood Road, close to the junction with Viewcraig Street, at around 4.45am on Sunday.

Lothian and Borders Police, who are appealing for witnesses, said it was unclear at this stage whether the man had been assaulted or had simply fallen over.

He is not believed to have been hit by a vehicle.

He had been socialising in the Cowgate area and also at club Studio 24 on Calton Road prior to the incident.

The man is described as white and 5ft 9in to 5ft 10in tall, with a shaven head and no facial hair. He was wearing green combat shorts, a black hooded top and black leather boots.

A police investigation is under way and officers are urging anyone who saw the man after midnight, or a possible disturbance on Holyrood Road, to contact them immediately.

A police spokesman said it was not clear if there had been a disturbance on Holyrood Road or not, but added that they were exploring all possibilities.

Inspector Graham Low added: "We have no idea what happened, it could have been something totally innocent or accidental, we just do not know."

Inspector Low said that he could not provide any further information on the nature of the man's injuries.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "We received a call to say that somebody was lying on the road on Holyrood Road at around 4.45am on Sunday. The man was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary by ambulance."

Anyone with information on the incident should call Lothian and Borders Police on 0131-311 3131.

n Three people were taken to hospital after a collision involving a motorbike and a car in East Lothian.

The accident took place on the road between Saltoun House and Gifford near Pencaitland at around 3.45pm yesterday.

The male motorcyclist, thought to be around 35 years old, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary under police escort, along with a 29-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman who were travelling in the car. They were both suffering from shock and were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.

Firefighters assisted to clear fuel from the road and administered oxygen to the man and woman who were travelling in the car.