The thorny problem of carrying on centuries-old tradition

IT was a sight guaranteed to turn heads.

A council worker yesterday walked around South Queensferry covered head to toe in 20,000 sticky plants – with only his eyes and mouth on show – as he took part in a 900-year-old parade.

Andrew Taylor, dressed as The Burryman in a costume made of burrs from the burdock plant, paraded through the West Lothian town for nine hours.

The 36-year-old has played the part for the last seven years – despite admitting he was terrified of the figure when he was a child.

And, in full Burryman garb, he walked a seven-mile route through South Queensferry, drinking almost 25 nips of whisky along the way.

Mr Taylor said he revelled in the role of upholding the tradition, which he hopes will live on forever.

“When you are a kid you are scared of the Burryman,” he said. “I was one of the kids who would always get a fright when I saw him. That is my first memory of The Burryman.

“Because I am from Queensferry, I know how important the Burryman is. People from all over the world see it. You start to realise what a big tradition it is.”

Andy Malarky, a volunteer for the parade, said: “Andrew was born and bred here, and although he was scared of The Burryman when he was little, he’s come full circle.

“I think the costume comes as quite a surprise to people because he looks so different. He can drink between 20 and 25 [nips] during the day, through a straw.”

„ The Burryman parades through the streets of South Queensferry to banish evil spirits. Andrew Taylor, in his seventh year in the role, is covered in burrs.

„ Children often fear The Burryman. He wears a suit covered with burrs, decorated with flowers and ferns, and he cannot sit for the whole nine-hour parade.

„ The tradition dates back hundreds of years.