The heart-stopping moment Edinburgh road police came across a hitch-hiker walking next to a busy motorway has been caught on camera as officers issue an urgent plea.
The man was discovered walking on the other side of the outer crash barrier on the M8 motorway linking Edinburgh to West Lothian on Wednesday, April 26.
Road police officers uploaded a picture of the man with a huge backpack on and urged people not to walk on or near a motorway. It is understood officers stopped the man and picked him up to avoid a potentially serious incident.
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Taking to Twitter, officers say they were advised of the man's presence and rushed to the scene which took them away from their normal patrols as they urged people to never walk or near a motorway.
They said: "EdinburghRP had to collect & advise this pedestrian not to hitch-hike along the M8, taking us away from our normal patrols. Please do not walk on or near a motorway. Do not hitchhike on or near a motorway."
One user in the comments was quick to point out how the officers who stopped the man were also placed at risk due to pulling over in a 'live lane' on the busy M8 during the day.
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