Following the inquest into the tragic death of teenager Luke Bennett in 2021, it now said that the promising young footballer died “almost instantly” following the electric shock.
Born in Chorley himself, the teenager who was a youth player with AFC Fylde was hit with around 11,000 volts when a metal pole he was holding over his head came into contact with the power cable above while “messing about” with friends.
Beginning around 6pm three boys — Lewis Geszke, Ben Wilcock and Bennett himself — were playing with the metal pole used to separate the subs bench from the pitch and were shocked by the electric current, and despite initially standing up from the shock, Luke the once again collapsed to the ground.
Learning the news on Saturday evening has left us absolutely devastated and heartbroken.
All our love goes out to Luke’s family and friends at this cruel and difficult time.
Following the inquest more than two years after the incident, the County Hall in Preston found that the Lancashire lad’s heart had been “completely stopped” by the electrocution and despite efforts of paramedics and a doctor, he unfortunately died around 6:48pm.
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As for the other two boys, Lewis and Ben, the pair were left unconscious for a short period as a result of the shock before waking up to see CPR being performed on Luke.
The inquest heard that because Luke’s heart had been damaged to such an extent and his friends had been warned not to touch him due to the voltage, he sadly had little chance of surviving. However, consultant cardiologist Dr Ian Schofield said that although he likely died “almost instantly”, he may have been saved had CPR been carried out earlier or if a defibrillator had been available.
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The inquest into Luke Bennett’s death is set to conclude on Wednesday, 24 May, with his father Thomas (once himself a professional footballer for Wolverhampton Wanderers) paying tribute to a boy who was always “the life and soul” and had an “infectious personality”.
Dad Thomas went on to tell Area Coroner Kate Bisset how his son was “very outgoing” and spent most of his days just “having a kick-about… He just got on with things.”
Luke was widely considered to be an exciting young talent with a bright future ahead of him, spending time at the Blackburn Rovers, Burnley FC and Preston North End’s academies before going on to play as a winger for Lancashire-based National League North side AFC Fylde.
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Writing shortly after his passing, the club said they were “absolutely devastated and heartbroken” by the news of the accident, stating that “Luke was a kind, popular young man who was much loved by his teammates and coaches” and who would “instantly light up a room with his bubbly personality.”
Rest in peace, Luke.
The pain of Luke’s sudden and untimely passing will be felt by our football club, supporters and all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him.
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
The Hundred is calling for up-and-coming presenters to co-host this year’s tournament
Danny Jones
The Hundred 2025 is fast approaching and cricket’s fastest-growing tournament is once again asking for aspiring presenters to join their roster of co-hosts and help cover the action.
The fast-paced 100-ball format is entering its fifth year and next to T20, you find a more accessible and thrilling form of cricket, so it’s no wonder the competition is gaining a greater audience each year.
With that in mind, the need for a top-notch broadcast team is more crucial than ever but just like those who backed The Hundred in its infancy, they’re looking to invest in future creatives and on-screen talent.
Are you someone looking to get into presenting or know someone who is? Keep reading.
For the fifth year in a row, we want you to be part of #TheHundredRising! 🎤
So how does it work? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: The Hundred is looking for eight up-and-coming presenters to join their team of main venue hosts up and down the country.
Tasked with guiding and talking fans through an action-packed five weeks across all host cities, successful applicants will be responsible for building excitement and atmosphere inside the seven cricket grounds on each match day.
From player and pundit interviews to crowd engagement and interactive other activations with partnered brands, not to mention members of this year’s live music lineup, you’ll be a key part of putting out the top-quality sports and entertainment product they promise every year.
The best part of all is that no prior hosting experience is necessary – this is all about platforming you and The Hundred as a whole.
Successful applicants will be mentored by the main hosts at their respective venues and will attend a two-day workshop with special guests to get them ready to hit the stage this summer.
The ‘Rising Hosts’ scheme has been set up in tandem with their dedicated event production agency, Progress Productions, which will be in charge throughout the application and selection process.
Shortlisted applicants will then have their details shared with the ECB (English Cricket Board) who will be involved when it comes to making their final decisions.
It goes without saying that even if you just love sports or just want to find a way into the industry, this is an opportunity that is not to be missed.
Danny Jones -
24th May 2023 
