Ice hockey fans have been evacuated from an arena in Sheffield after a player was seriously injured during a game.

A player was involved in a “major medical emergency” during a mid-ice collision witnessed by around 8,000 spectators at the Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers game at Utilita Arena Sheffield.

The player suffered a serious cut to his neck from the blade on a skate, according to the BBC.

The Nottingham Panthers wrote on X: “33:47 - The game is stopped for a bad injury. Steelers 2 Panthers 1.”

Shorty after, the team posted: “Fans have been asked to leave the building due to a major medical emergency.”

Journalist Peter Spencer, who was at the game, posted on X: “Nottingham Panthers player badly hurt after a collision in mid-ice. Paramedics are now on the ice, players are forming a ring around him and now screens are up around him.

“Awful scenes here at Sheffield Arena. The period is ended.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said they were called at around 8:20pm and one man was taken to hospital, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Fans took to social media to express their horror at the accident.

One person wrote: “In all the time I’ve watched hockey, I’ve never seen such an incident. I truly hope the player is ok, and thoughts are with his family, teammates and friends.”

Another fan posted: “Dreadful! The worst thing I’ve seen in 37 years of watching hockey.”

Nottingham Panthers, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and South Yorkshire Police have been contacted for comment.

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