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Nairn homeless man suffers horrific burns amid rumours he was set on fire deliberately

James Shaw often slept rough in the doorway of the United Reform Church
James Shaw often slept rough in the doorway of the United Reform Church

A homeless man was taken to hospital with horrific burns after being found on fire in a quiet seaside town.

Police are probing the incident which left James Shaw with serious leg injuries.

Officers were unable to comment on claims the 34-year-old had been set alight deliberately.

They were alerted after a woman saw Mr Shaw in the Tower Court area of Nairn, which is not far from the resort’s High Street.

Mr Shaw was being treated at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness last night, but it is understood he will be moved to the specialist burns unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston today.

Unemployed Mr Shaw had recently moved into a room at Nairn’s Star Hotel, but still sometimes slept rough in the doorway of the United Reform Church in the town’s King Street.

Minister the Rev Steven Manders, said: “This is terrible. If the rumours locally are true, you wonder how someone could do this to another human being.

“James is a harmless soul. He still has his sleeping bag here in the doorway where he slept.

“He used to come in for coffee and biscuits. We saw him just the other day. He had moved into new accommodation at the Star and was trying to make a go of it.”

Mr Manders added: “He comes from Fife and I believe his father lives in Glenrothes. He lost his mother to cancer.”

On his own Facebook page, Mr Shaw, who studied office administration at Glenrothes College, lists 12 facts about himself.

He says he “loves Rangers to death”, loves drinking, loves helping other people, own his own dog, misses his family and wants to meet them again and “remembers good times”.

Police are still trying to find witnesses and investigating whether his injuries were sustained as the result of a deliberate act or were accidental.

A spokesman said: “At around 10.44pm on Tuesday, February 10 emergency services attended a medical matter in the Tower Court area of Nairn.

“A 34-year-old man was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness with burns to his lower body.

“An update on his condition is unavailable at this time.

“Inquiries are ongoing into this incident and police would appeal to anyone who witnessed anything unusual or suspicious or has any information to contact them on 101.”