Medieval knight re-enactment goes catastrophically wrong in front of terrified crowd

What a knightmare.A medieval knight re-enactor was stabbed in the face during a mock battle outside a historic English castle – a freak “accident” that left several children in attendance horrified.The 37-year-old Horsham man, clad in full body armor, suffered a severe head injury when his opponent’s sword pierced his visor during a living-history demonstration at Bodiam Castle in East Sussex on Sunday afternoon, according to Sussex Police.The unidentified armored combatant was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition, police said.“We are treating the incident as an accident and we are offering support to his family,” Detective Inspector Barry Chandler said in a statement.“His opponent, a 36-year-old man also from Horsham, and the organizers are helping us with our inquiries.”The historical event drew a large crowd of excited spectators – including children – who were left shaken when the staged sword fight suddenly came to a disturbing end.  “It had been a really thrilling fight reenactment, and then suddenly it went catastrophically wrong,” a witness said, the DailyMail.com reported.“It was clear the man was very seriously injured, and people were very shocked.Some kids were in tears.

It was quite upsetting for everyone who was there.”The 14th-century moated castle, run by the National Trust and built by a former knight during the Hundred Years’ War, is a popular landmark known for its medieval displays and educational programs.Officials are asking anyone in attendance at the event to share footage of the traumatic incident.“We know that the re-enactment had drawn a large crowd and understand that anyone who witnessed the scene could have found this distressing,” Chandler said.“We are appealing to anyone who has photographs or videos of the interaction that led to the injury to contact us so we can gain a clear understanding of what happened.”...