Alex Salmond PR gaffe: Football pictures appear to show Scottish First Minister hit in the face

Mr Salmond's photocall did not quite go to plan

Alex Salmond heads a ball

Alex Salmond appears to have taken the baton from Labour leader Ed Miliband for unfortunate PR gaffes when he was 'hit' by a football during a photocall with Street Soccer Scotland.

While the picture may look painful, the Scottish First Minster was in fact heading the ball with Scotland under-21 midfielder Kenny McLean shortly before heading to a Scottish Cabinet meeting at Fernhill Community Centre in Rutherglen.

Mr Salmond was there to outline his vision for Scottish independence ahead of "new information" from the Scottish Government on “Scotland’s financial strengths and the economic opportunities that only come with independence”.

The picture is the latest in a series of PR blunders involving politicians. Most recently, Mr Miliband’s aides were forced to run in and confiscate a bacon sandwich during an election campaign photocall when it became clear that tackling a ketchup and grease covered breakfast simply cannot be done elegantly.

His speech comes the day before a Treasury analysis paper is published, which sets out the amount the Treasury believes people will save if they reject indepence.

Mr Salmond’s SNP polled most votes in the European Parliament elections in Scotland, but have so far failed to increase their share of the vote from the last European elections in 2009.