A DRAMATIC rescue was launched at Champney’s Forest Mere, in Liphook, when football legend Paul Gascoigne collapsed in his room shortly after he arrived for a pre-Christmas stay at the spa, last Friday evening.
The ex-Newcastle and England star was rushed to hospital by ambulance, after he fell on a glass and cut his hand.
The 48-year-old former Rangers player checked into the health spa after arriving by taxi – amid reports in one national newspaper that he had been drinking heavily and looked “terrible”.
Staff refused to deliver more alcohol to his room and sent up food instead, the report added.
A night porter, who checked on him in the early morning hours, found the footballer famous for his tears at the 1990 World Cup “slumped over” in a pool of blood prompting spa staff to call 999.
Gazza had been battling alcoholism for most of his adult life but was only diagnosed at the age of 33.
The father of three was given a restraining order in October and fined for harassing his former girlfriend and assaulting a photographer.
Having retired from football in 2004. the Geordie has struggled with mental health problems and alcoholism as well as his brushes with the law
He has been in-and-out of hospital and rehab on several occasions. He had just finished a one-man stage tour where he spoke about his antics and told large audiences, he was in “good health”.