Plans to burn two effigies of Alex Salmond were scrapped late last night following a storm of protests.
Three constructions, two of the outgoing First Minister and one of the Loch Ness Monster, were saved from a fiery end at the eleventh hour and police are now investigating.
Thousands of people attended the bonfire celebrations in the East Sussex town of Lewes, where the effigies of Mr Salmond and Scotland’s mythical creature were among those facing the flames.
A spokesman for Mr Salmond told The Courier: “We are just relieved Nessie has been saved.”
Sussex Police confirmed the Scottish contingent had been spared the ritual burning.
Effigy of Alex Salmond, Nessie and the45 to be burned at a bonfire ceremony tonight in East Sussex. Feel the love. pic.twitter.com/uDaUw1dRDP
— Mark Coburn (@Indycyclist) November 5, 2014
The force’s Martin Brewer said: “I have been advised that the Bonfire Society in question are not now going to burn the effigy but I am unable to supply any further information as (I) do not have any.”
It is understood the models will be “tastefully” disposed of over the weekend.
Mr Salmond had earlier said he was “used to insults from Tories in East Sussex” as he questioned the judgment of those behind the effigy.
The Waterloo Bonfire Society, which produced a larger-than-life model of the SNP leader with the Loch Ness monster, a Yes badge and a 45% badge, said it had “no wish or intention to offend”.
In a statement, the society said it had a satirical tradition and stressed that the effigy of Mr Salmond would not have been set alight.
On Wednesday afternoon, East Sussex County Council faced an immediate backlash on Twitter after tweeting a picture of one of the models.Post by Eu Citizens for an Independent Scotland.One Twitter user responded: “Can you imagine the uproar amongst Better Together campaigners had Yes supporters burned an effigy of David Cameron?”
Others posted the council’s switchboard telephone number and urged people to contact the local authority to complain.
An effigy of David Cameron holding a “puppet Nick Clegg” was burned in Lewes in 2010. Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.