Half-body horror! Former England winger Andros Townsend RUN OVER by pitch roller in shocking pre-match freak accident

Former England winger involved in freak pitch roller accident

Former England international Andros Townsend miraculously escaped serious injury after a horrifying incident with a piece of ground equipment in Thailand. The 35-year-old winger was run over by a heavy pitch roller at Tinsulanon Stadium ahead of PT Prachuap's fixture against Pattani FC.

The freak collision occurred as the PT Prachuap squad conducted their pre-match preparations on the pitch.

Townsend attempted an aerial backheel near the touchline before being struck directly by the moving roller, sustaining injuries to his hip and thigh.

Teammates react in horror as Townsend trapped under roller

Footage circulating on social media showed the driven ground machine making its way across the playing surface before making contact with the former Premier League star. Townsend was left trapped underneath the heavy rolling mill as panic spread across the stadium.

Several teammates turned away in fear and shock while others rushed to assist the stranded winger.

Despite the horrifying nature of the accident, medical staff evaluated the player immediately to assess the extent of the impact.

Remarkable late return caps off miraculous escape

In an extraordinary turn of events, Townsend avoided career-ending damage and managed to rejoin his team-mates on the substitutes' bench. With PT Prachuap leading 3-0 thanks to goals from Saharat Kanyaroj, Taoua Ferreira, and Edgar Mendez, the winger entered the pitch in stoppage time.

The 13-cap former England international joined PT Prachuap following spells at Kanchanaburi Power and Turkish side Antalyaspor.

His career includes memorable Premier League tenures at Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Everton, and Luton Town.

Prachuap move forward after bizarre matchday incident

PT Prachuap secured the three points in Thai League 1 despite the distressing pre-match chaos surrounding their marquee signing. Townsend is expected to undergo further physical evaluations on his hip and thigh injuries over the coming days.

The club will look to ensure their star winger recovers fully before their next league fixture.

Meanwhile, the video of the bizarre incident continues to attract widespread attention across the global football community.