Hartlepool's Mark Shelton ruled out of League Two clash with Scunthorpe due to bizarre cotton-bud injury

Hartlepool midfielder Mark Shelton has been ruled out of their latest League Two fixture against Scunthorpe due to a bizarre cotton-bud injury.

Shelton has been a key player for Hartlepool this season, featuring in 33 games in English football's fourth tier as the club has successfully staved off the threat of relegation.

The 25-year-old won't be available for a trip to Glanford Park on Saturday, though, with head coach Graeme Lee revealing that he has been admitted to hospital.

What happened to Shelton?

Shelton was left feeling disorientated after pushing a cotton bud too far into his ear.

Lee told BBC Radio Tees of the Englishman's unusual injury: "Mark's had a cotton bud in his ear that has gone in too far.

"He's gone to the hospital, sounds like the tweezers have gone in too far and he's dizzy and can't stand up."

Football's strangest injuries

Shelton is not the only player to have been ruled out of action in strange circumstances over the years, with Former Wimbledon and England goalkeeper Dave Beasant left sidelined after dropping a bottle of salad cream on his foot back in 1993.

Ex-Aston Villa striker Darius Vassel picked up a serious infection that ruled him out for a period after he tried to use a power drill to remove a blister in 2003, while Richard Wright broke his ankle after tripping over a sign before an FA Cup clash between Everton and Chelsea some three years later.

Rio Ferdinand also hit headlines for an innocuous injury in the early stages of his career at Leeds, with the Manchester United legend left with strained knee tendons after putting his feet up on a coffee table to play FIFA.

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