England fans are getting plastered

Jun 29 2006 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

FOOTBALL fans are getting plastered to support England's World Cup hopes.

But they aren't getting drunk - they are having the casts for their broken bones emblazoned with the cross of St George.

Nurses at Good Hope Hospital, in Sutton Coldfield, came up with the idea in response to the football frenzy sweeping the hospital.

And patient Terry Butcher, who shares his name with the former England captain, was keen to get a flag on his injured leg.

"I slipped on seaweed during my holiday in Whitby and tore the muscles in my leg," said Terry, from Tamworth. "It isn't much fun having your leg in plaster so I think this is a great idea. My cast will be on until the World Cup final, so I can really show my patriotism through the tournament."

Staff in the plaster room at the hospital's trauma and orthopaedic unit, got so many people asking for St George's crosses that they started drawing them on with felt tip pens last week.

But they then discovered red and white plaster in the cupboards and are now producing more professional England flags for damaged limbs.

Orthopaedic practitioner Jo Booker said: "So many patients of all ages are asking for an England red cross so we thought we should respond to the demand.

"We put casts on hundreds of patients every week and a third are having an England flag.

"It definitely brings a little bit of sunshine to them during a miserable time and shows the hospital is firmly behind England."

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