A groom is fighting for his life after falling through a hotel banister on his wedding night.
Chris Mallon had married his new wife Avril just hours earlier when he lost his footing at the top of a set of stairs and plunged 12ft to a paved area below.
The newlywed, who is in his 50s, suffered serious injuries to his brain, lung, back and heart and is in an induced coma in hospital, the Edinburgh Evening News reports.
His wife Avril has been at his hospital bedside since the accident happened at the Macdonald Houstoun House Hotel in West Lothian, Scotland, in the early hours of Saturday.
Describing the incident on Facebook, she said: "At the end of the night after all the guests had left a member of staff helped Chris to take some gifts and cards up to our honeymoon suite which is in a separate listed building.
"At the top of the stairs Chris lost his footing and he went to grab the banister and fell right through the large gap down 12-foot onto the pavement below. This was an accident waiting to happen."
She added: "Thanks for everyone's kind words, I wish I could tell you better news. Sadly more bad news that Chris has a significant brain injury significant lung injury and back injury and damage to his heart.
"On top of this he has developed an infection he is still in an induced coma and critical."
A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "We received a call at 01.59am on 15 June to attend an incident at Macdonald Houstoun House Hotel.
"We dispatched two ambulances to the scene, with the first crew arriving at 02.04am.
"We transported one male patient in his 50s to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary."
A Houstoun Hotels spokesperson said: "Our thoughts are with Christopher Mallon and his family."
The incident is said to have been reported to West Lothian Council and is being investigated by environmental health officers.
The Independent has contacted West Lothian Council for comment.
TWEET YOUR COMMENT