A Dundee man has been left in a coma fighting for his life after being found badly injured while on holiday in Bulgaria.
Francis Allan was discovered at the bottom of stairs near his beach resort hotel.
The 47-year-old has suffered leg fractures, six broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a badly damaged kidney in the incident.
His brother was at his bedside at the Virgin Mary Hospital in the town of Burgas on Friday as his treatment continues.
Mr Allan’s children are anxiously waiting at home for news of his condition.
His 18-year-old daughter had flown to Eastern Europe to see her dad, but has now returned to Dundee to be with her sister.
Police in Bulgaria have launched an investigation into the incident at the Sunny Beach resort on the Black Sea.
It is understood he had fallen, although officers have not ruled out the possibility that he was brutally attacked.
The investigation has been complicated by the fact everyone in Mr Allan’s party has told police they can’t remember what happened to their friend.
Police spokeswoman Tsvetelina Randeva said the local force had not ruled out the possibility of foul play and the Bulgarian force has launched a probe into the circumstances that led to his injuries.
”We cannot say for sure if this was an accident,” she said. ”His friends say they can’t remember anything.”
Mr Allan, who lives in the Downfield area of the city, was found at the three-star Hotel Pomorie at 6am on Saturday.
He had been on holiday with friends at the resort, close to the town of Burgas, which is a popular budget holiday destination.
Mr Allan is an offshore oil worker who had been working on contracts for Aberdeen-based Global Resources for the past two years.
It is understood he has also worked as a technician for Singapore-based NES Global Talent and the Wood Group PSN in Aberdeen.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: ”We are aware of the hospitalisation of a British national in Bulgaria and we are providing consular assistance.”
Photo by Flickr user kismihok