A 59-year-old Canadian man was recovering Sunday after surgeons reattached four fingers severed during a tug-of-war contest in Nova Scotia, officials said.

Jim Thurber, a recently retired Digby municipal warden, was taking part in a friendly festival competition in Bear River Bear River Saturday when his fingers got caught and were sliced off. He was being treated at a hospital in Halifax.

The severed digits from Thurber's left hand were quickly put on ice and he was rushed to the hospital in Halifax.

"He just retired from being warden for 10 years," his sister-in-law, Phyllis Thurber, said. "He was just going to relax and go golfing and enjoy life, so it's kind of a blow. He's a very nice guy, the best you could find."

"Kind of a blow"? I didn't realise Canadians were renowned for understatement!

The playground didn't inspire confidence...

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