A man has died after being struck by a bus following unverified reports of a ‘severed head’ being found on the streets of Edinburgh.

Police have since asked the public to stop sharing distressing photos and videos on social media, ‘which are causing distress to the deceased’s family’.

The 74-year-old was hit by a single-decker bus in the Cowgate area at around 7.25pm on Saturday (2 November), Police Scotland has said.

A man, 74, in Edinburgh was fatally struck by a bus, police has said (PA wire)

People in the surrounding area were asked to leave as the roads were closed off for forensic officers attending the scene.

The roads have since re-opened after police said ‘there is no risk to the wider public’.

BBC Scotland News reporter, James Delaney, said: “Inside were two forensic tents, probably about 100m apart.

“The Cowgate is usually jumping on a Saturday night, but the bars and pubs inside the cordon had been closed.

“We saw about a dozen or so people in white forensic suits, and there were a few guys in suits too who I assume were detectives.”

Sergeant Louise Birrell, of the Road Policing Unit, Edinburgh, added: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man who died.

“Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of this incident.

“Officers have spoken to a number of people who were in the area at the time and work is ongoing to check public and private CCTV footage.

“We are still keen to hear from anyone who has not yet spoken to police.

Police have asked the public to stop sharing distressing photos and videos on social media (Roy/PA wire)

“If you have any information about what happened, then please get in touch.

“Anyone with information is asked to call the police via 101.

“Please quote incident number 3395 of Saturday, 2 November 2024.”

Chief Inspector Trisha Clark, the local area commander, has also asked for people to stop sharing various images and videos on social media out of respect for the family.

“We are aware of videos and images circulating on social media which are causing distress to the deceased’s family and those viewing them inadvertently,” she warned.

“We would ask members of the public not to share them out of respect for his family, and to report them to the relevant social media platform to prevent further circulation.

“There has been a lot of speculation, and I would like to reassure the local community that this was an isolated incident and there is no risk to the wider public.

“This was a tragic incident. We are investigating a crash, and our road policing officers, assisted by local officers, are continuing to carry out enquiries.”

“Anyone with concerns or any information which could assist the investigation should contact police.”

Scottish Ambulance Service told LADbible in a statement: “We received a call at 19:32 on Saturday 2 November to attend a road traffic collision on Cowgate, Edinburgh. We dispatched one ambulance, one special operations response team (SORT), and one paramedic response unit (PRU) to the scene.”

LADbible Group has contacted Police Scotland for comment.

A tragic crash at the weekend which took the lives of six people on the A61 and left an 11-year-old girl orphaned has had a development.

Shane Roller, 33, his partner Shannen Morgan, 30 and their daughters Rubie, nine, and Lillie, four, were killed in a crash near Wakefield which involved their family car and a motorbike.

The family is survived by their 11-year-old daughter, who was not in the car with them at the time as she was at a friend’s house.

Christopher Barton, 56 and his wife Janine, 48, were later named as the other two victims of the crash.

West Yorkshire Police have since said that a man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, saying that he ‘remains in custody at this time’ in a statement.

Shane Roller, Shannen Morgan and two of their daughters died in the crash. (Facebook)

Detectives from West Yorkshire Police’s Major Collision Enquiry Team have issued an appeal for anyone who saw a grey coloured Porsche 911 car being driven in the area around the time of the collision to come forward.

Detective sergeant Steven Suggitt said: “I would like to appeal for anyone who may have seen this grey Porsche 911 being driven on the roads around the south of Wakefield or north of Barnsley to please contact us.

“I would also urge anyone who has dashcam, doorbell or CCTV footage of this car, that may assist our investigation, to please contact us.”

You can contact West Yorkshire Police with any information in this case by calling 101 or going onto their website while quoting reference 1157 of 21/7.

Alternatively, you are able to call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Christopher and Janine Barton were also killed in the crash. (Family handout)

The surviving daughter of Shane and Shannen is currently staying with a family friend who has set up a GoFundMe for the 11-year-old.

It has amassed over £342,000 in donations, and the girl’s aunt will become her new guardian.

The organiser, Paul Hepple, said the family had called them to ask if he could look after their daughter as she ‘didn’t want to go on the walk that they went on’, explaining that the 11-year-old is best friends with his step-daughter.

The son of Christopher and Janine Barton said they were ‘a loving, caring mum and dad who always put me before everything else’.

Athersley North Primary School, where Rubie and Lillie were pupils, said the girls were a ‘delight to teach’ and a ‘much-loved part of the school community’.

The family of an eight-year-old boy who died last month after being shot at a Cumbrian farm have spoken out about their son.

Jay Cartmell died after suffering ‘life threatening injuries to the head and face’ on 28 September at a farm.

Police said that emergency services had been called to the scene at around 2:50pm that day, with the boy sadly dying overnight.

Officers said that a firearm had been secured at the scene and the eight-year-old had been taken to hospital via air ambulance before he died.

In a statement released through Cumbria Police, his family said: “We are heartbroken at the passing of our perfect little boy – Jay Cartmell, 8 years.

“He was loving, kind and full of mischief, the best boy that anyone could wish for and the third corner of our beautiful family ‘triangle’.

“Jay loved being outdoors, the muddier he could get the better and was starting to follow in the footsteps of his Dad with his obsession for Speedway at Workington, where he first attended aged 1 years.

The boy’s parents have spoken about who their eight-year-old son was. (Cumbria Police)

“He always went to the Pit to fist bump his heroes, local racers Harry and Sam McGurk. Jay was a talented rider himself and was showing real promise for the sport.

“Jay was a defender at Whitehaven Miners Football Club. He would occasionally score a goal, albeit an own goal, but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm. His favourite player was Erling Haaland and he had a dream to move to Brazil and to meet Lionel Messi.

“Jay enjoyed fishing and rabbiting with his Dad and helped care for the family pets:- 4 lurchers, 5 ferrets and his own bearded dragon (Spike) which he received following a school achievement. He loved school and had a talent for maths.

The eight-year-old died after being shot at a farm in Cumbria. (PA News)

“Jay was extremely loved, not only by us, but by all who met him. He had fantastic friends and always had a smile on his face. We will miss him every day, but his love surrounds us and his memory will never fade.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all who have looked after Jay:- The Air Ambulance Service; PICU, Ward 12 RVI and the Snowdrop Suite at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

“Also special thanks to the Workington Speedway Supporters Club for their amazing donations; JD Autos and Fellview Surgery for their ongoing support; the Workington Comets, especially Andrew Bain, for a special gift which we will treasure forever and to Whitehaven Miners for all that they have done and continue to do in Jay’s honour.”