A CANDIDATE in the East Lothian Council election had to go to hospital after he was bitten by a dog while out campaigning.

Jimmy Haddow, 61, who stood as the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidate in the Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry ward, received the injury as he was putting leaflets through doors in Tranent.

He said he did not blame the dog, putting the experience down to bad luck.

Tranent resident Mr Haddow said he was leafleting on Tuesday last week when his finger was bitten. He was advised by friends to go the accident and emergency at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where his hand had to be x-rayed and stitched before he was given a tetanus shot and antibiotics.

He said: “I want to thank the NHS staff, who get pilloried regularly in the mainstream media, for their courteous and prompt medical action on my finger.

“In discussion with other Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition activists and other activists throughout Scotland, I found out there were several near misses with dogs going for their hands while leafleting as well; I was just unlucky.

“It was one of these things and I certainly do not blame the dog because I invaded its space without its permission.”

Mr Haddow said the incident meant an early end to his leafleting, with only 42 of his 400 leaflets put through letterboxes.