British tourist's brush with bear in California
A British tourist on holiday in California has been attacked by a brown bear.
Bob McKeown, from West Lothian, Scotland, was on holiday with his wife Irene when the incident occurred.
The couple were leaving a relative's home in Pasadena, just north of LA, when the animal approached on the porch, but they are completely oblivious to it.
According to The Times, Mrs McKeown made it to their car, while Mr McKeown ran back inside, but the animal clawed at his calf before he made it.
The BBC reports that Bob told a local TV station that he felt "something brush his leg" before turning around to face the bear.
He added: "I ran up the stairs, trying to get in the door and the key wouldn't turn."
He was taken to hospital for a tetanus shot and he is expected to be fine.
Mrs McKeown said the biggest injury was to his ego: "We are getting teased," she laughed.
"Our friends keep saying 'How did you not see it?' We just weren't looking."
Encounters with bears are not uncommon in California. But the area has just experienced its driest year since records began, which may be keeping the bears from hibernating, and pushing them into populated areas for food.
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