Terrifying tree affected by fungus gives Edinburgh families an Easter Sunday scare

As crowds flocked to their local parks to enjoy the sunny Easter weekend weather locals in Edinburgh have been left terrified by a tree that is more demon rabbit than cuddly bunny.

Not what you want to encounter in a city park

The scary tree looks as if it has been sculpted into the shape of a rabbit standing upright but the effect has in fact been created by natural fungus covering the trunk.

An image of the tree in the capital’s Pilrig Park was posted to the I Love Leith Facebook page by local resident Amy McNeese-Mechan last week.

And social media users were quick to comment on its similarities to the terrifying rabbit in sci-fi movie Donnie Darko.

Locals were amused at the scary tree

Nicky Lee McKiernan posted: “I thought someone had made a carving of a scary rabbit - but it’s an actual real tree.”

Sharon Mcfeely said: “Yep, Donnie Darko bunny. And I might add that is one scary looking tree.”

And Shiela Purvis added: “OMG - that’s horrific eh?”