10th February 2008
By Jonathan Corke, Daily Star
BOXING star Ricky Hatton has cheated death during an African safari – after being attacked by an eight-ton elephant.
The Hitman was in South Africa with his family when the “Raging Bull” charged their vehicle and narrowly missed with its huge deadly tusks.
Ricky and his family took a big game sight-seeing ride in a Land Rover and were confronted by the elephant in the middle of the road.
Ricky’s dad Ray said: “The elephant blocked our path and we didn’t have time to turn the jeep around.
“We were told not to make any sudden movements but Richard sneezed and then the tusks came into the back. It was squeaky bum time.”
A source added: “Ricky can laugh about it now – but it was no laughing matter at the time.
“Everyone was trying to be as still and quiet as possible. It is an amazing sight to see a wild elephant and they were told around 500 people are killed by elephants each year.
“So you can imagine the tension. Then Ricky sneezed and it got very near to everyone with its tusks. It was a heart-stopping moment. There is a joke going around that the elephant was Ricky’s toughest opponent!”
Ricky was taking time out after his defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in December.
The annual family break saw them staying at the ultra-exclusive Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, in the Kruger National Park.
The luxurious hideaway is located on the banks of the Sabie River and offers spectacular views.
Guests can watch wildlife at the river while cooling down in their private pool or take a “luxury sleep out” – in a four-poster bed beneath a star-filled sky.
Ivory Lodge also has a health spa and the resort was named the third best hotel in the world by Tatler magazine in 2006 and included in Tatler’s 101 Best Hotels in the World listings in 2006 and 2007.
Each of the six suites is operated as a private villa and the lodge is all about exclusivity and privacy. Each suite has a living room, heated pool and its own outdoor shower (in addition to the en-suite bathroom). It is six-star luxury out in the bush.
Ricky was contacted by David Beckham during his holiday to see how he was enjoying himself – but a planned meeting with Nelson Mandela had to be cancelled because Ricky was flying home on the day that the former South African President was arriving in Johannesburg.
Lol!
By Jonathan Corke, Daily Star
BOXING star Ricky Hatton has cheated death during an African safari – after being attacked by an eight-ton elephant.
The Hitman was in South Africa with his family when the “Raging Bull” charged their vehicle and narrowly missed with its huge deadly tusks.
Ricky and his family took a big game sight-seeing ride in a Land Rover and were confronted by the elephant in the middle of the road.
Ricky’s dad Ray said: “The elephant blocked our path and we didn’t have time to turn the jeep around.
“We were told not to make any sudden movements but Richard sneezed and then the tusks came into the back. It was squeaky bum time.”
A source added: “Ricky can laugh about it now – but it was no laughing matter at the time.
“Everyone was trying to be as still and quiet as possible. It is an amazing sight to see a wild elephant and they were told around 500 people are killed by elephants each year.
“So you can imagine the tension. Then Ricky sneezed and it got very near to everyone with its tusks. It was a heart-stopping moment. There is a joke going around that the elephant was Ricky’s toughest opponent!”
Ricky was taking time out after his defeat at the hands of Floyd Mayweather in December.
The annual family break saw them staying at the ultra-exclusive Lion Sands Ivory Lodge, in the Kruger National Park.
The luxurious hideaway is located on the banks of the Sabie River and offers spectacular views.
Guests can watch wildlife at the river while cooling down in their private pool or take a “luxury sleep out” – in a four-poster bed beneath a star-filled sky.
Ivory Lodge also has a health spa and the resort was named the third best hotel in the world by Tatler magazine in 2006 and included in Tatler’s 101 Best Hotels in the World listings in 2006 and 2007.
Each of the six suites is operated as a private villa and the lodge is all about exclusivity and privacy. Each suite has a living room, heated pool and its own outdoor shower (in addition to the en-suite bathroom). It is six-star luxury out in the bush.
Ricky was contacted by David Beckham during his holiday to see how he was enjoying himself – but a planned meeting with Nelson Mandela had to be cancelled because Ricky was flying home on the day that the former South African President was arriving in Johannesburg.
Lol!
