Dad's rectum impaled in freak fairground accident

A 31-year-old Swedish father of two has been hospitalized after impaling his rectum on the tow hitch of a children's fairground truck ride.

The unnamed man, who is suffering from blood poisoning as a result of the horrific freak accident, had taken his two young daughters to the Furuvik theme park near Gävle in eastern Sweden for what was supposed to be a fun family Sunday outing. But things went horribly awry when the father tried to help his four-year-old operate a yellow tow truck. "She can't step on the gas pedal herself, so I lifted her up and jumped on the back of the truck so she would fit in front of me," the victim is quoted in The Local. The trouble is, a metal tow hitch was protruding from the rear end of the truck, exactly where the hapless dad jumped aboard. "It was a complete shock to the whole body," he said with typical Scandinavian understatement. "It was terribly painful." The hitch tore through the man's rectum in the direction of his urethra. He desperately tried to separate himself from the truck but could not pull free. A theme park employee who heard his agonizing screams managed to help him break loose. He was bleeding profusely from his rear end. Park employees gave him a pair of shorts and work pants and a free lunch. After enduring an excruciating hour-and-a-half car ride home, the man grew feverish. He sought medical attention and was diagnosed with blood poisoning caused by bacteria entering his bloodstream as a result of his accident. He is expected to recover. "Never in your wildest dreams could you foresee an accident such as this," Furukvik marketing director Erika Rydstrand told Arbetarbladet. The tow hitch has been removed from the ride.