A man has suffered a serious head injury after a sword went through the visor of his armour during a battle re-enactment in East Sussex.
Police are appealing for witnesses after the accident at Bodiam Castle near Robertsbridge on Sunday.
A spokesperson for Sussex Police said a man was injured during a living history demonstration, adding: “A 37-year-old man, from Horsham, was wearing body armour when his opponent re-enactor’s sword entered his visor during a combat re-enactment just before 3pm.
“He suffered a head injury and he is currently in a serious condition at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.”
Bodiam Castle, which is owned by the National Trust (NT), is described by the organisation as a 14th-century moated castle with a ruined interior that features spiral staircases, battlements and a portcullis.
A spokesperson for the NT said: “Following the accident at National Trust’s Bodiam Castle in Sussex on Sunday 29 June, our thoughts and concerns are with the injured man, his family and friends.
“The safety and wellbeing of everyone on site is extremely important to us, and we are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities. As this is a police matter, we are unable to comment further.”
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The NT regularly allows medieval re-enactments and encampments on its site, with some activities staged by external organisations in the castle grounds.
The event on Sunday was advertised by the NT as an opportunity to “discover more about the medieval way of life” and offered people the opportunity to “enter the arena to listen to weapons talks, dress the knight, watch sword demonstrations and more”.
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Detective Inspector Barry Chandler from Sussex Police said: “A man was unfortunately injured during the combat re-enactment.
“We are treating the incident as an accident and we are offering support to his family. His opponent, a 36-year-old man also from Horsham, and the organisers are helping us with our inquiries.
“We know the re-enactment had drawn a large crowd and understand that anyone who witnessed the scene could have found this distressing.
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“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.”
