German TV stuntman faces potential paralysis

13/12/10 17:21 CET

world news

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A young German who was seriously injured while performing a live stunt on prime-time television will live with his injuries for the rest of his life.

Samuel Koch attempted to somersault over oncoming cars wearing bouncing blades attached to his feet.

As he leapt over a vehicle driven by his father his helmet hit the roof of the car and he fell to the floor with serious neck injuries.

Koch is undergoing treatment at a specialist clinic in Switzerland.

He is still in intensive care and shows signs of paralysis in his arms and legs.

His doctor at the Nottwil clinic said: “I don’t think he will ever walk normally again with the type of injury he sustained in the accident.“

The TV show ‘Wetten, dass…?’ (You Bet?) is a popular Saturday evening programme watched by millions in Germany.

The show was taken off air mid-broadcast for the first time in its 29-year history as the true extent of his injuries became apparent.

More about: Accident, Germany, Television

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