Bristol Rovers legend and former Spurs captain Gary Mabbutt has foot eaten by a RAT during safari holiday in South …

Former Bristol Rovers star Gary Mabbutt has revealed he had his foot eaten by a rat while on safari holiday in South Africa.

The 57-year-old had to leave the Kruger National Park for emergency surgery after the shocking incident.

Mabbutt explained that couldn’t feel the rodent gnawing through his toe and the underneath of his foot due to his diabetes.

The one-time Rovers hero woke up to discover a big hole in his toe and his bed covered in blood.

Speaking to Radio Five Live on Sunday, Mabbutt explained what happened: “Unfortunately, due to the injuries through my career and some diabetes – I have very little feeling in my feet.

“So I’ve gone to sleep and during the night a rat has come has into the bedroom, climbed into the bed and decided to chew on my foot.”

Gary Mabbutt
(Image: Jon Kent)

He added: “It made quite a big hole in my toe going down to the bone and ate underneath my foot so it became infected.

“I then got home quite quickly and then I was in hospital for a week and that was about, crikey, about six weeks ago now.”

Gary Mabbutt speaks out on being diagnosed with diabetes while playing for Bristol Rovers

The rat bite has left Gary visiting hospital every day for two to three hours to be put on intravenous drips to get rid of the infection. The incident has also caused blood clots to form.

He added: “When you think about it all the opponents that I played against I finally get taken out by a rat.

The Bristol-born footballer was was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes at the age of 17 and was told he may never be able to play football again.

However, he went onto have a distinguished playing career at the highest level after making debut for the Gas in 1979. He made more than 130 appearances for Rovers before moving to Tottenham Hotspur where he enjoyed a remarkable 17-year career.

Bristol Rovers legend and former Tottenham Hotspur captain Gary Mabbutt to undergo heart surgery

Last year, Mabbutt successfully underwent an emergency heart bypass after suffering from breathing and chest pains.

The former England star is now unable to run or play football after undergoing another emergency surgery, which saved his leg after the artery was blocked