Surgeon recovers after plant scare

Mr Currie is recovering in Raigmore Hospital

A neurosurgeon who became critically ill after apparently eating the poisonous hemlock herb while hill walking in the Highlands has been moved out of intensive care.

David Currie, 51, a consultant in the neuroscience department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, has been in a critical condition at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness since Tuesday.

But on Thursday Mr Currie was said to be "much better", after apparently eating the plant while walking on Sunday at Aultbea, Wester Ross.

A spokeswoman for Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: "He's greatly improved and is in a satisfactory condition today.

David Currie has been moved from intensive care

"He has now been discharged from intensive care to a general medical ward and is much better. He does not want to give out any information about the circumstances around his illness."

It was not clear when Mr Currie would be discharged from hospital, the spokeswoman added.

Mr Currie was taken ill an hour after eating the unidentified plant and was taken to hospital.

The neurosurgeon had been hill walking with Professor Gillian Needham when the incident occurred.

She also consumed the plant and was taken to hospital on Sunday but was discharged the next day.

There are only a few plants which are thought to be life threatening if eaten and they include poison hemlock and water hemlock.

There is no antidote for either but if diagnosis is detected early the prognosis is good for the patient.