Links are being made to cannibalism in one of the world's least likely locations. Visitors to Scotland are often attracted by the beautiful landscape and by the friendly welcome of the people.
Some experts are suggesting that travellers might want to look more closely at just how friendly that welcome has been over the years. It seems that Scottish residents have a history of eating some incomers.
This astonishing news has not been widely publicised, for obvious reasons. With Scotland being so dependant on tourist numbers, anything that might have a negative impact is best kept hidden.
Fortunately, in this case visitors need not worry. The evidence of cannibalism dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. Experts now believe that local people, suffering from poverty and famine, were often faced with little choice other than to eat each other. Such a course of action may sound horrendous today, but it was the reality for many poor families.
The most famous case of cannibalism in Scotland at that time relates to Sawney Bean. It's reported that he was a man with a criminal mind, who used to make money by robbing visitors to the area. Having carried out the robberies, he would kill his victims to ensure that he could not be identified.
He soon realised that the dead bodies could provide a fine source of food for himself and his family.
Thankfully, visitors to the region can expect to travel safely these days but the story of Sawney Bean recalls a very different way of life.