Three injured in city centre fight ‘with broken bottles’

● Man arrested after incident near nightclub in early hours of morning

A man has been left seriously injured and two others were taken to hospital after a city centre street brawl in which they allegedly tried to stab each other with broken bottles.

Around 40 police officers converged on Edinburgh’s Queensferry Street in the West End of the city at around 3:45am yesterday.

All three men were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after being treated by ambulance crews at the scene. Police later confirmed a 32-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Queensferry Street – one of the city’s busiest bus routes – was cordoned off from the early hours of yesterday until around 1pm while police carried out investigations. Neighbouring Hope Street was also closed to traffic. Pedestrians were asked to take alternative routes.

Ian Scott, who witnessed the incident, said: “There were three guys trying to stab each other with broken bottles. They kept stabbing when the police were there. There were probably 40 police officers.

“The epicentre of the fight was La Vida nightclub on Queensferry Street Lane. The three men kept running backwards and forwards from there.”

The club, just yards from where police were searching for clues, closes at 3am.

Mr Scott, owner of the nearby Edinburgh Group Accommodation apartments, said some of the 300 residents staying in the apartments, many of whom were on hen and stag party weekends, were in the lobby at the time of the inci-

0 Police and forensics officers were at the scene of the incident yesterday, with roads being closed dent. He said: “They were gathering at the front door, but our security man rushed them all inside and locked the door.”

Police asked local businesses for access to their CCTV footage following the attack.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: “Officers in Edinburgh attended a disturbance call in Queensferry Street where it was reported that a number of people had been assaulted.

“As a result three men were treated at the scene by the Scottish Ambulance Service prior to be taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment.

“The full extent of their injuries is not known at this time, although it is believed that at least one of the men has suffered serious injuries.

“A 32-year-old man has been arrested in relation to this incident.”

Three forensic investigators and five CID officers were seen gathering evidence at the scene. One examiner photographed blood-spattered glass in a nearby doorway.

Businesses and restaurants within the cordon area, from Shandwick Place to Melville Street, remained closed as police combed the area. French eatery Patisserie Max- ime was among outlets to shut yesterday.

Bottle and food waste bins outside Italian restaurants Quattro Zero and Zizzi were emptied on to the road as police used wooden poles to rake through their contents.

Smashed glass was strewn across the road and a pair of trainers and a blood-soaked rag littered the street before police were seen bagging up the evidence.