A Valentine's Day not for the faint-hearted

A Valentine's evening with a twist is being held at a Hull city centre pub

A Hull York Medical School anatomist will be hosting a Valentine’s evening with a twist this Wednesday 14 February, as she performs a live dissection of an animal heart in a city centre pub.

The public event will see Dr Katherine Sanders, Lecturer in Clinical Anatomy at Hull York Medical School, explain the inner workings of the human heart to a captive audience from 6pm to 8pm, in the Sailmakers Arms in Hull’s Old Town.

The evening will conclude with a live animal heart dissection – though this will be optional for the more squeamish members in the audience.

Dr Sanders said: ‘We are bombarded with heart images at this time of year, but how much do people really know about the organ keeping us alive? We’re inviting members of the public to come along and find out the truth behind the poetry: what exactly is a heartstring? How does the blood circulate? What does it mean to have a hole in your heart?

‘As the dissection will include a real animal heart, discretion is advised. Those who don’t want to see the dissection will be able to step outside at that point, and although young people are welcome, they should be accompanied by a guardian.’

The event forms part of the national Anatomy Nights series, which aims to give members of the public the opportunity to learn all about the human body. Limited spaces are available, and anyone interested in attending can book tickets online.