Frenchman is killed in garden by exploding petanque ball

A FRENCHMAN has been killed by an exploding petanque ball.

It seems the steel ball was – for reasons unknown – on the 31-year-old victim’s family barbecue in his garden.

The ball then grew so hot it exploded, with some of the shrapnel hitting the man in the head.

A source said: ‘A doctor arrived by air ambulance to organise an evacuation by helicopter. Sadly the victim died from very serious injuries to his head.’

At least five people were in the garden when the ball exploded, including three children aged eight to ten.

None was hurt, but all have ‘psychological trauma’. The freak accident took place in the town of Boulou, near France’s border with Spain.

Petanque is one of the most popular games in France and involves tossing metal balls as close to a small wooden ball as possible. No one else is ever thought to have been killed by an exploding petanque ball.