Nothing was going to stop David Beckham enjoying himself when he returned this week to Manchester, the city where he first made his name. Not even a few hair raising moments, when the dad of three thought he was being kidnapped, could wipe the smile from the England skipper's face.
Becks is currently staying at the plush Lowry Hotel as he gets ready to fly out to Germany for the World Cup. And he managed to bring the city to a standstill on Wednesday afternoon when he indulged in a spot of retail therapy at a shopping centre in the heart of the metropolis.
Beaming from ear to ear, there was no disguising the 31-year-old's delight as a huge crowd of well-wishers gathered to welcome him back. Things took a slightly unnerving turn when his team-mate Rio Ferdinand decided to play a practical joke on the star midfielder, however.
The England defender is currently filming a Candid Camera-style show called Rio's World Cup Wind-Ups and he decided to play a prank on David by having a "driver from hell" pick him up.
Becks got a little worried when the chauffeur declared he would take him to meet his family, instead of to their planned destination, though. Suspecting that he was being kidnapped, the quick-thinking athlete waited until the car had stopped at traffic lights and then leaped out, sprinting off into the city alone. Rio, who had been following behind in a van, had to jump from his vehicle and go chasing after him to explain it was all a joke.
Real Madrid's star player obviously saw the funny side of the misunderstanding, as he was seen laughing heartily with his old friend afterwards. "It was all Rio's planning and David found it very amusing," said a spokesman for the footballer, who will no doubt be hoping for a less eventful experience the next time he goes shopping. Perhaps the Hollywood Hills, where he and wife Victoria are said to be looking for a new home, will make for more sedate retail adventures.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
