Man hit by masonry knocked off hotel

A man has escaped serious injury after workers examining Edinburgh’s five-star Balmoral Hotel sent a piece of masonry from the building crashing to the ground.

The pedestrian, who was in his 40s, sustained a head injury while walking past the Victorian hotel yesterday morning.

It is understood the man, who was bleeding profusely from a gash on his head, managed to stumble over the road into the offices of NHS Lothian on North Bridge.

NHS staff treated him on the spot and were able to stem the bleeding. An ambulance then transferred the man to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

He is believed to have sustained a concussion and needed several stitches for the head wound.

Princes Street was temporarily closed between North Bridge and St Andrew Square as a precaution following the incident and re-opened at 12:25pm.

Hotel owner Rocco Forte Group has launched an investigation after specialist workmen, who had been brought in to check the safety of the building, dislodged a stone which then dropped to street level, hitting the passer-by.

A hotel spokesperson said: “A full investigation will now be carried out with our external contractors.”