Because of the massive drought in California, bears have started descending into populated areas looking for food. And one elderly couple visiting from Scotland are lucky they didn't get mauled last Tuesday.

They were leaving a friend's house and locking the front door...when they somehow didn't notice a young brown bear standing just feet away from them on the porch.

Then they finally DID notice it when it followed them to their car, and the husband frantically tried to get back IN the house to call 911.  Luckily, he only suffered a small scratch on his leg, and the home's security camera got video of the encounter.

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