Scots tourist mauled by bear in Romania 'saved by M&S coat' after trying to take selfie

A Scottish holidaymaker hospitalised after a terrifying encounter with a bear in Romania says her Marks & Spencer coat may have saved her from more severe injuries.

Moira Gallacher, 72, from West Lothian, was attacked by the bear as she attempted to snap a selfie with it through her car window, reports the Daily Record.

Gallacher was on an adventure with her friend Charmian Widdowson, who had previously lived in Romania, driving along the picturesque Transfagarasan road in the Carpathian Mountains, known for its large bear population.

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The incident occurred when Moira, eager to capture the wild bears on camera, found herself under attack.

Speaking to Romanian publication Observator News, Moira recounted: "I come from Scotland," and then remarked, "My arm is sore."

She explained the harrowing moment, saying, "We were in the car and we were going to take a picture. And the bear came up to the window."

Charmian humorously suggested that the bears might have mistaken Moira for a potential meal.

Charmian shared with STV News: "We saw these bears; a mummy bear and a baby, they were gorgeous.

"The mummy bear was hungry, and thought my friend was going to be lunch."

Following the attack, Moira was swiftly taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of her right hand injuries.

She credits her padded M&S jacket for protecting her arm from the bear's bite, with Charmian noting that the bear got "more jacket than arm".

She recounted: "I'm a very lucky woman, I was wearing a padded jacket and a top and another top that's what saved my arm. I've been very, very lucky.

"The shock has set in today, but everything's okay now."

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Charmian narrated the harrowing experience as she and her friend were walking through Transfagarasan when they encountered the bear cub without its mother.

She continued: "I tried to take a picture through the window, but it didn't turn out well. We were going a little bit further and it was a place where we could turn the car around.

"I turned the car around and got off. And they were there, and I said, there's no curve here, let's stop and take a picture. So I went down the window to take a good picture. I thought he wanted to be friends.

"The bear came and wanted to get into the car, but he started getting into the car and bit my friend."

Charmian speculated that the bear might have overheard Moira talking about food.

She elaborated: "My friend said, let's get something to eat.

"No, you are not allowed to give food. Absolutely nothing, nothing, nothing.

"And I think he heard it and decided he had to eat my friend instead."

Andreea Gheordunescu, manager of the Curtea de Arges Municipal Hospital, reported: "At the Curtea de Arges Municipal Hospital, a foreign patient presented with wounds on her right hand, wounds caused by a bear bite."

European brown bears, which inhabit Romania, can reach weights of up to 350kg and heights just over 7ft (2.2m). These enormous creatures can reach speeds of 30mph and are also skilled climbers.

It's estimated that around 6,000 bears roam the Carpathian Mountains.