Alasdair Gray, the leading Scottish writer and painter, is seriously ill in hospital after a fall in the early hours of this morning.

He is currently in hospital with what is believed to be a broken back and serious injuries to his legs and his head.

The incident occurred at 2am outside his house in the west end of Glasgow.

He was found by neighbour Marc de Ridder, who heard the sound of his moans outside his basement bedroom and went outside to investigate.

He said: "It was very dark, but I discovered someone lying in the basement area, eight feet down from the pavement, obviously in a very bad condition.

"I immediately called 999 and the ambulance arrived, to their credit, before I finished the conversation."

Mr de Ridder said it was only when a paramedic shone a torchlight on the author that he recognised Mr Gray.

He added: "The paramedics called for assistance from the fire brigade due to the difficulty with access to the basement, with the immediate access being to climb out through our bedroom windows.

"Alasdair was stabilised and the fire men moved him, with some difficulty, with the stretcher to the ambulance. We contacted various friends within the art community who immediately assisted generously with assisting the police to contact Alasdair's relatives."

Mr de Ridder's partner Lyn described him as 'the hero of this near tragedy who rescued Alasdair from hypothermia and near worse.'

Mr Gray, 80, has had a busy year with a major retrospective exhibition at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and has been, friends say, in good health.

His friend and gallerist Joe Mulholland said: "I have heard he had the fall at 2am.

"His is in critical condition in the Royal Infirmary.

"I don't know how it happened but I understand the police are involved."

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed that at 1.50am they were called to an incident with an 80 year old man in the west end of Glasgow.

They said inquiries were continuing but at present no criminality is suspected.

Mr Gray's injuries were described as 'not life threatening'.

The author of Lanark and painter of murals is regarded as one of Scotland's finest painters and writers of the post war years.

His son Andrew, who lives in the US, has been informed and is flying to Scotland.

Gray's wife, Morag McAlpine, passed away last year.