By Safira Ali

Last updated 18:28, Monday, 19 May 2008

A DEARHAM man missed out on the chance to win £50,000 in the last few seconds of his Gladiators television challenge.

Daniel Sowerby

Daniel Sowerby, 29, of Main Street, tackled five games during the Sky One programme last night. He won four of them but lost the final challenge in a nail-biting finish.

Daniel, who works in building control at Allerdale Council, did well in all the challenges and was praised by the gladiators who took him on. He prepared by playing rugby and Thai boxing in his spare time.

During the first round, Earthquake, he was hauled up on a platform three metres in the air, which was moved around by ropes.

Daniel said: “I had to wrestle the gladiator on it. I attacked him and took him by surprise. He was four-and-a-half stones heavier than me but I threw him to the floor. I jumped on him, and was told that was against the rules. It was meant to be like sumo wrestling. We were at loggerheads.”

During Hit and Run he had to scramble across a bridge while four gladiators tried to knock him off with giant balls.

Despite winning 12 points he fell at the end of the game and trapped his hand in between the Perspex panels of the bridge.

He said: “I broke my hand and tore ligaments in my hand and fingers. They taped it up and the physio confirmed it was damaged. But I wanted to carry on because 40 people had come from Cumbria to see me.

“When I was playing rugby that kind of thing happened all the time.”

But during the Wall challenge he said he felt the full effects of his injury. He said: “It was killing.”

He swung from hoops to get to the other side of the platform while being chased by a gladiator during Hang Tough. The gladiator Atlas fell into the water below allowing Daniel to notch up another five points.

But the show ended with a nail-biting finish. Daniel had an 11 second lead on his opponent Radzi, but said he struggled with the first challenge in the Eliminator round because he is not a strong swimmer.

He then lost crucial time when he slipped off the hand bike while he was reaching for the next platform and fell into a net. This incurred a 15 second penalty and allowed his opponent to over take.

But it was neck and neck up until the last leg, the Travelator. Daniel said: “I was absolutely bushed. I ran up but then I fell down. He composed himself and he ran up. I composed myself and got to the top and waved to everyone.

“I was going after him like a bat out of hell. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“I loved the show as a kid. I did well. It is a shame to have lost after doing so well. The best bit was the 40 people that came down.

“The production team said they were the maddest team they had ever seen.”