Five hurt in stampede as Beckham arrives in Shanghai

Shanghai: Five people were hurt in a stampede here on Thursday afternoon when former England captain David Beckham arrived at Tongji University.

Witnesses said thousands of fans rushed forward when Beckham arrived and waved to them. Police failed to control the crowd, reports Xinhua. Tongji University said four working staff and a student were injured in the stampede. They were rushed to hospital where their injuries were described as "not serious". Beckham, who is visiting Shanghai as ambassador to the Chinese Super League, called off the event and expressed his hope that the injured would recover soon. The 38-year-old superstar began his new role in March, before announcing his retirement last month after winning the French league title with Paris Saint-Germain. IANS