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A woman has revealed that she has a phobia of the Scottish accent that makes her feel sick.
Kirsty Baker, from Hampshire, says the Celtic tone gives her a panic attack and the thought of actually going north of the border is her 'worst nightmare'.
The 32-year-old is so terrified of the accent that she claims to have experienced heart palpitations and nausea upon hearing it.
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Speaking about the unusual fear, Kirsty said it goes all the way back to her childhood, when she would turn the TV off if she heard a Sottish accent.
"If I hear a Scottish accent, I literally start to panic," she said. "My heart races and I feel really sick. It's awful."
Recalling one particularly terrifying childhood encounter, Kirsty said she was at a boat show with her parents when a man on stilts, and boasting a thick Scottish accent, came up to her.
"The man started speaking in a thick accent and the way he looked and sounded just terrified me," she remembered. "I ran away and hid behind my parents.
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"Since then I've been so scared of Scottish voices."
But the traumatic scenes have not been reserved for her adolescence.
Kirsty revealed that she was shopping in a supermarket recently when a fellow - Scottish - customer started talking to her.
Not sure how to deal with it, she dropped her goods in the aisle and ran off.
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So it won't surprise you to learn that Kirsty doesn't plan on shacking up with a Scot anytime soon.
"I've had a few men message me online and the moment I find out they're from Scotland, I ask if they're Scottish," she said. "If they are, I explain about my phobia.
"Most of them think I'm joking, but when I tell them I'm serious, they just find it hilarious. I tell them I don't have anything against Scottish people, just their voices.
"I've definitely missed out on some good looking guys because of my fear."
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And that goes for celebrities too.
Kirsty says she used to be a fan of David Tennant until she realised he was Scottish.
She said: "Because he had an English accent in Dr Who, I didn't realise he was Scottish until a few years ago when my mum told me.
"It's a shame as I really liked him. I have never watched Brave Heart either because of my fear.
"If I want to watch a TV show I'll check if any of the cast are Scottish."
Dominic Smithers