A man has been found guilty of trying to murder two tourists at a hotel in Edinburgh.

Peter Cameron repeatedly stabbed his victims outside the Apex Hotel in the Grassmarket.

The 38-year-old knifed Bernadette Lester ten times as she stood outside her hotel with her friend Gillian Clarke.

Mrs Clarke was then stabbed twice in the cheek and sustained injuries to her tongue and mouth after he turned to target her.

An employee from the Apex Hotel was also wounded by the knifeman as he went to the aid of the guests during the horrifying attacks which were captured on CCTV.

A judge deferred sentence on Cameron for the preparation of a background report and risk assessment until next month.

Lady Scott said she was concerned about the potential risk that Cameron posed to the public and he was detained in custody.

A jury unanimously convicted him of the murder bid.

Unemployed Cameron, of Edinburgh, was acquitted of further charges of illegal possession of the knife and attempting to pervert the course of justice by disposing of the weapon and items of clothing after the attacks as the Crown withdrew the charges.

The knife was found dumped in a bin in Johnstone Terrace with blood traces from the female victims.

Mrs Clarke said they were having a conversation at an alley at the premises when a man appeared before Mrs Lester told him to "move on".

She told the High Court in Edinburgh he walked away but she heard her friend say: "Jesus, Gillian he is coming back."

Mrs Clarke said: "The attack just happened so fast. It was frenzied."

She thought she received two quick punches but realised she was bleeding.

Mrs Clarke added: "I lay down because I am a nurse and I knew I was bleeding very heavily. I took the black scarf that was round my neck and put it to my cheek and put pressure on it.

"My tongue was also bleeding and I was choking on the blood."

She said: "I remember shouting 'Bernie I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding' but Bernie shouted 'so am I'."

Mrs Lester, 61, said: "I was stabbed once behind my right arm, twice on my right shoulder, once on my chest, once behind my right ear and had five defensive wounds on my left hand that were stitched and one that wasn't stitched."