Quirky News
Grandfather sacked for wrestling shark
A British grandfather who wrestled a shark on an Australian beach has been sacked after returning home - because he was on sick leave.
Paul Marshallsea, 62, was hailed a hero after a film of him grabbing the shark's tail as it swam towards children was broadcast around the world.
He and his wife Wendy, who work for the same children's charity in Merthyr Tydfil, were on sick leave for work-related stress when they took the two month holiday in Australia.
After seeing January's footage, trustees of the Pant and Dowlais Boys and Girls Club decided that the couple had been dishonest and sacked them.
The dismissal letter said: "Whilst unfit to work you were well enough to travel to Australia and... you allegedly grabbed a shark by the tail and narrowly missed being bitten by quickly jumping out of the way."
"What am I going to do now? There's not much call for shark-wrestlers in Merthyr Tydfil," Mr Marshallsea complained.
"If I hadn't gone in to save the kids on that beach that day my wife and I would still have a job.
"You think being in charge and running a children's charity, they would have patted me on the back and congratulated me."
what do you think?
Rob Shaw
I agree with Robert. Rescuing children from sharks is besides the point, he was still skiving work. His own fault
Ashley Garner
Good
Darren Davies
Playing Devils advocate now! Firstly just because you are off work on sick leave with stress doesnt mean you are not entitled to a holiday, he was legitimatley signed off work I would have thought and entitled to go anywhere he liked. Secondly if he hadn't have grabbed the shark and it went on to bite a child, and then asked why he didnt do anything to stop it, and if his answer was then, I'm on sick leave so I couldnt, then he would have been dammed for not doing/trying anything. I would say if he went to a tribunal the charity would be on skating on thin ice with the way they went about his dismissal. Now if your asking me if its "morally" right that he jetted halfway round the world whilst on sick leave and had a 2 month holiday, well thats a different matter!!
blue side
Surely stress is not a physical but mental condition best resolved by a change of scenery however if the condition was a fiction to take time off that would qualify for the sack - seems there may be other issues here
robert
Could this be classed as benefit fraud, i wonder? must be a good job if they can afford a 2 month break from work and swan off down under.
Baker101
So what if he went to Australia during sick leave? If it was stress he was suffering from, a holiday is obviously of benefit to his condition. I bet loads of people go on holiday whilst off work for stress. It's not like he was pretending to have a bad back or a broken leg.
GillieLouise
Baker101... he had a charity job, hardly high profile and stressful
Alan Maddock
work related stress, working for a charity?!!........ beggers belief, good riddence
GillieLouise
Now he will be claiming benefits!!!!!!
robert
they cannot claim jobseekers for 6 months after being sacked
ABritMum
It was work related stress...give the guy a break!
Nigel L
Strange his wife had the same condition at the same time, just trying to con their employer(and taxpayer) into paying them to go on a 2 month break, deserved sack 100%
movvi
I have my own thoughts about how much stress he could have been under, doing the job he did, compared to many of us who are worked to death. I'd be miffed as hell if his wife AND he weren't in fact suffering significant stress, and fiddling sickness benefit. Having said that, if he did indeed suffer stress then I can't imagine why the shark fight and flight to Australia played such a big part in his sacking. Of course you can move your body when stressed! He wasn't claiming backache, after all, was he? I do think though that I personally would lie low in the house if claiming sickness benefit, but that's just my extreme work ethic.
Kevin Jennings
I hope this charity looks into what other scams he may have run! This shows his character.
brian foster
9 months of with STRESS,we now only employ Polish workers who all seem to be immune from STRESS perhaps we should ask them what the secret is or do we know already
John Mechelen
Stress he does not know the meaning of the word.I spent 25 years as a driving instructor in the centre of London,thats stress.
Dave Smith
If the shark was going to eat the kids, it would make mince meat of him... it's a stickleback!
Luke Hill
Shark was hardly gonna think oh I think ill have a few kids for dinner! Om nom nom! They're harmless enough, don't splash around like a doughnut and hey presto everyone's a winner. Bloke should've got sacked months ago! :-)
adam
It was very convenient that they were both off with work related stress at the same time,made it nice and easy to book up that "theraputic" dream holiday to Australia...
Nigel L
They seemed to cope with the stress of airport check in and flying to the other side of the world well enough
Nigel L
This was nothing more than a scam to cheat the employer and the taxpayer into contributing to their dream holiday anyone who believes otherwise must also believe in the tooth fairy
Phil A
He wasn't sacked for wrestling a shark. He was sacked for for telling his employers he was sick when he wasn,t and then going on holiday.
adam
Just read an update to the story that says they have both been off "sick" for a year....A whole year away from an office job working for a charity with work related stress......and to think we all thought they may just have been swinging the lead....tut tut tut.
Robbie369P .
1:55pm on 12/3/2013
Who hasn't got work related stress at the moment. Not too stressed to have 2 months in Australia though.
Gordon Wright
2:39pm on 12/3/2013
One of the best ways to relieve stress is to take a holiday actually. Although two months on the other side of the world does seem a bit excessive..................
Robbie369P .
3:45pm on 12/3/2013
Not with my kids!
Gordon Wright
4:12pm on 12/3/2013
Excellent reply Robert, Gave me a laugh, been there, done that!!
adam
7:17pm on 12/3/2013
Exactly that Robert,all work is stressful and we used to be a country that just pulled its socks up and got on with things but nowadays its skive off as much as you can using any old excuses. I tell you this much though, i bet if he had been self employed and therefore not earning during his time off,he wouldnt have been suffering such a bad case of work related stress.