A strongman from Scunthorpe has suffered a shocking injury after dropping gym equipment weighing more than 100kg on the back of his leg.
Liam Swindell, 28, was training for his next strongman competition in January when he dropped a 140kg atlas stone on to his calf, Scunthorpe Live reported.
The 24st man was left with an inflamed hematoma, a bruise which causes blood to collect and pool under the skin like a balloon, which required surgery at Scunthorpe General Hospital.
Unfortunately, Liam has been unable to work since the accident and has been living on £95 a week sick pay to support his heavily pregnant partner. With no viable income until he can go back to work in the summer at the earliest, Liam has been left on the brink.
The Scunthorpe man has been living by dipping into his savings account, which is extremely low, he says.
Now, one of Liam's close friends has created a fundraiser to help him through this difficult time.
Liam told said: "I was finishing off my Monday gym sessions, which happened to be atlas stone training that week. I was lifting the 140kg atlas stone on a 55in platform for repetitions and on the first rep I lifted the stone perfectly."
He added: "I did it again on the second attempt, but on the third attempt I used a much narrower stance to lift it. As I lifted the stone up I then lapped it, a term for getting the stone to your waist, but I lost balance.
"I then fell backwards and tried kicking my leg to get out the way but unfortunately the stone and landed directly on my calve and crushed it. It wasn't too bad at the time due to the rush of adrenaline, but once I got home and to Scunthorpe General hospital, it was painful, I will definitely tell you that.
"The surgery to remove the massive hematoma left me with a gaping hole in my calf. It's now just purple bruising around my right leg which is quite painful."
Liam says it has been mentally and physically challenging to not go to work as a window fitter and train for a competition which means so much to him. His partner is going to be induced next week on April 27 and they will be having a baby girl.
He told Scunthorpe Live: "It has been difficult. I have basically lived of my mortgage savings as I have only been getting £95 a week sick money.
"My partner has been trying to help but due to her being heavily pregnant and still a university student, she could only do a couple of days a week at her work. She's now left work for maternity and we're surviving on the savings and the sick pay money until I'm back.
"It's also been mentally draining going from working five days a week and training four days a week to be a strongman to being sat on your backside skint.
"I really worry how we will cope until I get back to work - especially with everything increasing in price as it is we have just been realistic. I know it will be a couple more years now until we can buy our own home because of the prices going up and having no savings left by the end of it."
Liam's friend, Adam Cave, of Iron Freaks gym in Scunthorpe, has set up a Go Fund Me page to help support him through this difficult time. Liam says it will "mean the world" to receive the support of the community.
"It would mean the world at this moment in time as it's just one less stress to worry about whilst getting ready for parenthood. And hopefully it would stop me from totally wiping out my savings so me and my family can have our family home sooner then the way it's looking it's going to be.
"Adam has been more than great, he has helped me out loads through all of this. He has set up the fundraiser, he has helped me out by giving me free membership to come to the gym and do little bits whilst I'm there so I'm not stuck at home all the time.
"And he's also helped me out mentally by messaging me every day whilst I was in hospital and also letting me referee at his competitions he's put on recently so I'm still doing something in the sport. Absolutely awesome guy he is."
If you would like to support Liam and his family during this difficult time, you can donate to his Go Fund Me page here.
