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Football club mascot injures himself in BMX stunt
Oldham Athletic football club's mascot had to be carried from the pitch after injuring himself during the pre-match entertainment.
Chaddy the Owl ended up in hospital after falling off a bike in the build-up to his club's League One clash at Carlisle.
The 7ft bird, dressed in the club's fluorescent away kit, was pulling wheelies on the BMX before kick off when he fell off and ruptured ankle ligaments.
The mascot, Wayne Hurst, 34, said: "I was entertaining the crowd when I discovered a bike on the terrace behind the net. I was all right on a BMX when I was younger, so I thought I'd give it a go.
"I set off towards the fans and the bike went over. I put my leg down to stop it, but went over on my ankle. I knew as soon as I hit the ground I was in trouble.
"Eventually the St John's Ambulance people came. They wanted me to take my head off so they could give me gas and air, but I said no. It's an unwritten rule that I never take my head off in front of the crowd."
Wayne was then helped on to a wheelchair and taken through the players' tunnel.
"I got a standing ovation from the Carlisle fans, which was nice," he said.
His injuries were expected to rule him out of his team's clash with Crewe today.
Oldham's chief executive Alan Hardy bemoaned the latest injury to hit the club. He said: "It looked quite nasty. Clearly the pressure of the end of season run-in caught up with him."
Oldham Athletic football club's mascot had to be carried from the pitch after injuring himself during the pre-match entertainment.
Chaddy the Owl ended up in hospital after falling off a bike in the build-up to his club's League One clash at Carlisle.
The 7ft bird, dressed in the club's fluorescent away kit, was pulling wheelies on the BMX before kick off when he fell off and ruptured ankle ligaments.
The mascot, Wayne Hurst, 34, said: "I was entertaining the crowd when I discovered a bike on the terrace behind the net. I was all right on a BMX when I was younger, so I thought I'd give it a go.
"I set off towards the fans and the bike went over. I put my leg down to stop it, but went over on my ankle. I knew as soon as I hit the ground I was in trouble.
"Eventually the St John's Ambulance people came. They wanted me to take my head off so they could give me gas and air, but I said no. It's an unwritten rule that I never take my head off in front of the crowd."
Wayne was then helped on to a wheelchair and taken through the players' tunnel.
"I got a standing ovation from the Carlisle fans, which was nice," he said.
His injuries were expected to rule him out of his team's clash with Crewe today.
Oldham's chief executive Alan Hardy bemoaned the latest injury to hit the club. He said: "It looked quite nasty. Clearly the pressure of the end of season run-in caught up with him."
