Drunk Edinburgh partygoers and injured victims expose dark side of city

Disorientated and slumped on the ground, a young casualty paws at the bandage caked in drying blood and wound tightly around his forehead.

Paramedics are tending the street attack victim's injury while police officers keep a watchful vigil nearby. Caring volunteers from Street Assist gather around him in a misty St Andrew Square and amicably introduce themselves - their breath visible in the bitter early hours coldness of a Saturday in November.

One supports his arm and gently guides him to the charity's car for the trip to A&E. It is shortly after 2am and the bemused patient has unwittingly become the latest recipient of Edinburgh's late-night emergency first aiders.

READ MORE:Edinburgh police race to city centre after incident near busy shopping centre

READ MORE:Relatives of tragic Edinburgh homeless woman say 'she had family and was loved'

Our evening started much earlier on the Friday night as Edinburgh Live joined Street Assist on one of their shifts supporting the emergency services during weekend peak hours in the capital. It would be a busy night.

READ NEXT - Relatives of tragic Edinburgh homeless woman say 'she had family and was loved'

READ NEXT - Edinburgh passengers face cancellations after vehicle collides with crossing barriers

Just before 10pm, a number of white vehicles with the classic Street Assist logos made their way to Manor Place to prepare for the evening. Bags full of first aid, equipment and welfare essentials were stocked and ready to go - each team planning and organising the six hours ahead of them.

Street Assist is made up of over 100 volunteers who all dedicate their Friday and Saturday evenings keeping people safe on the streets. I was put in the minibus - which is an old ambulance renovated for the charity through donations and fundraising.

Our first job came at exactly 10pm on Rose Street. We were informed of an intoxicated female who was being looked after by security guards before they made a call to Street Assist. After moments of being there, the volunteers knew how to handle the situation.

She was sitting on the floor, accompanied by the security guards worried about feeling unsafe and stressing. After introducing themselves and putting her at ease, the team guided her to Mcdonald's and phoned her boyfriend so she could get home safely.

It was going to take her boyfriend around 20 minutes to arrive so it was decided we would sit with her in the minibus and take her out of the cold while she waited. Soon afterwards she was reunited with her boyfriend and she made sure to thank the patient volunteers before making her way home.

Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

At around 2am, we were informed of an intoxicated male and were told the Scottish Ambulance Service were in attendance and they wanted Street Assist to check it out. When we arrived, paramedics were already dealing with the man who was lying on the floor with a couple of friends around him.

Watching the volunteers in their early 20s handle handle such situations with ease was so impressive. At St Andrew Square, I was in awe of their initiative and knowledge. They knew every step to take and safely got him in the minibus, provided him with a sickness bag and continued to check in with him for the short drive to A&E.

Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.

The jobs kept coming and at 2.45am, several incidents were reported from the same location on George Street. One young female was intoxicated and struggling with her mental health. She was reportedly out with her boyfriend but ended up alone.

Several members of Street Assist confirmed incidents involving mental health can be among the most complex and sensitive they have to deal with. Yet again, it was handled with commendable sensitivity. So much so, the young female requested the volunteer to come to A&E with her - connections were made in the process.

It was a double trip to A&E for us as a man needed treatment for a nasty face injury - several teeth missing from his blooded mouth. As we arrived at the bar, he was sitting on the ground, surrounded by staff, security and his friends. It seemed he was being resistant for help as he started to become snappy with the volunteers. He was helped up and taken to the minibus and both the casualties were taken to A&E.

One thing noticeable through each incident is how hard it can be to leave the casualties at hospital. Some of them had nobody to meet them though the compassion of A&E staff eased the situation.

Our night ended around 4am as a weary band of volunteers packed up their first aid kits until the next weekend.

You can find out more about Street Assist here.