David Kelso

The (Glasgow, Scotland) Herald

GLASGOW, Scotland — Police are investigating claims that the body of a baby seal was thrown around near a gig during an island festival.



Other music fans said they left the seaside concert site in disgust following the alleged incident last Saturday.Revellers claimed the animal was “swung around with blood spraying out of it” during a set by the Glasgow group Azure Halo at the Deoch an Dorus Festival, which was held near Sannox, on Arran.

Event organiser Rory Gordon said he had given a statement to police, adding: “I only started to hear these terrible stories after the festival, though it is true that a dead seal was, for whatever reason, brought from the shore to the vicinity of the stage for a brief time.

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“As far as I was concerned, it had been dead for some time, which was pretty obvious by the stink and signs of decomposition. I had seen a dead seal on the beach in the days leading up to the weekend.

“I have no idea who moved it to the concert area. It might even have been a dog.

“I was given help in taking it back down to the sea.” He denied that any blood was sprayed. The organisers said in a statement issued on Facebook:

“When we questioned the act they assured us they were trying to remove the deceased animal. We had no reason to doubt them.”

Police were alerted after a crowd member calling himself John Louis wrote on the social media site: “On Saturday in Arran I witnessed the most disgusting act I’ve ever saw at a music festival.”

“It was a gorgeous sunny day on the most picturesque location imaginable. Unfortunately the day was soured by the actions of these morons.

“They had put the poor thing ... which was squirting blood everywhere, into a white canvas marquee tent.

“It is one of the worst smells I have ever experienced.”

An unnamed member of Azure Halo replied on the posting: “I came back from the bar to see a man covering a pool of blood with sand and stones.”

The band member added that he did not know how the seal got there.

A spokesman for Police Scotland declared: “We have received a complaint and our inquiries are ongoing.”

Follow David Kelso on Twitter: @Dakelso