Ex-Oldham rugby player dies after balcony fall

Luke Rhoden

FORMER Oldham Rugby League Club player Luke Rhoden has died after plunging from a hotel balcony.

Luke (25) was “running round like a madman” before falling or jumping from a first-floor balcony in Ibiza at 10.30pm on Tuesday, says the Spanish Civil Guard.

He survived but it is believed Mr Rhoden, who joined the Oldham side in 2010, was then involved in a struggle with the Guard. Officers restrained him as they put him in an ambulance at the Ibiza Rocks Hotel in San Antonio.

Paramedics spent 40 minutes trying to revive him, but he died in the ambulance.

Oldham chairman Chris Hamilton said: “I am very saddened to learn of Luke’s death.

“He was one of those talented players who trained and played hard and always gave 100 per cent. He always showed total commitment.”

A post-mortem will be carried out to establish cause of death.

A police source said: “He was running around like a madman, shouting that people wanted to kill him.

“We were called at 10.30 when he jumped and landed on a patio below. Our officers restrained him and put him in an ambulance but he died before it left the area of the hotel.”