BRADLEY Welsh was blasted to death by an assassin last night just feet from his home.

The T2 star and boxing gym owner, 48, was ambushed as he walked to his basement flat after parking his car around 8.30pm.

9 Welsh is believed to have been gunned down in Edinburgh Credit: Andy Barr - The Sun Glasgow

9 Welsh, 48, who ran Holyrood Gym in the city, was shot and killed around 8.30pm just yards from his basement flat front door

Paramedics were scrambled to the horror in Edinburgh’s West End but the former footie hooligan could not be saved.

And a source told how Welsh’s anguished loved ones had dashed to his side following the shooting.

They said: “Bradley’s family immediately raced to the scene after failing to reach him on his mobile phone.

"They were absolutely frantic with worry.

"A police family liaison officer arrived on scene to help comfort them.

“Paramedics were there but he died lying in the street. He didn’t make it to hospital alive.”

Terrified locals said they were told to stay indoors as armed cops swarmed the area.

Resident Alisdair Morton, 46, said: “I came out the house and we were told to go back in.

"Around three police cars and a black van drove along the street and the traffic then stopped.

“I initially thought it was a police escort then when I had a look there must have been a dozen or so police with guns pushing the traffic back.

“We’ve not been told anything but police waved through some ambulances.

9 Armed police stormed Edinburgh's west end last night Credit: Rex Features

9 Forensics were spotted at the scene where Welsh was shot Credit: Rex Features

They said ‘there’s a gunshot wound to the head somewhere’.

We could still hear noises that suggested there was a situation still going on.”

Officers stood guard outside Welsh’s home last night as police appealed for witnesses.

Welsh was part of notorious Hibs casuals the Capital City Service in the 1980s and featured in Danny Dyer’s Deadliest Men telly series.

9 Police stood guard outside Welsh’s home as the probe into his death got underway

9 Welsh was shot just feet from his home last night Credit: Rex Features

He was jailed for terrorising estate agents after moving into the security trade.

But he later told of quitting crime to help underprivileged kids.

He played gangland boss Doyle in 2017 hit T2 — who owns seedy saunas in Edinburgh and puts the frighteners on Jonny Lee Miller’s Sick Boy and Ewan McGregor’s Renton when they plan to open a rival brothel.

9 Welsh played Boyle in Trainspotting sequel

9 Welsh with Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh and director Danny Boyle Credit: Alan Simpson

9 Welsh at boxing gym in Edinburgh Credit: Andy Barr - The Sun Glasgow

Welsh landed the role in the Irvine Welsh classic after setting a Guinness World Record for sparring with 360 people — including director Danny Boyle.

After the film’s release, he said: “Ewan McGregor is one of the cleverest and funniest men I’ve met. He’s very, very educated.

“One day he and Jonny were talking about some literary classic.

“Ewan turns and says to me, ‘Do you know the book we’re talking about?’.

“I said, ‘I’m from the streets pal. I didn’t read books — I f***ing lived them’.

“That gave them a laugh.”

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In 2006 Welsh admitted his violent past was “stupid” but insisted he was not ashamed or embarrassed by it.

He said: “It is learning from our experiences that makes us what we are.

"The general consensus among people is that it’s the best time they had in their lives.”

Police Scotland last night confirmed a probe had been launched into the death.

It added: “A man was found seriously injured in the street and sadly passed away at the scene.

“Officers will continue to provide a high-visibility presence in the area.”

thomas.brown@the-sun.co.uk

FORMER footie thug Bradley Welsh in bizarre rant outside a string of Gers pubs

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