The tourist climbed up one of the Colosseum's railings but slipped and fell onto a sharp metal spike - which pierced his spine, leaving him dangling from the fence screaming until he fell unconscious

An American tourist in Rome impaled himself on a metal fence at the Colosseum while possibly trying to take a selfie — screaming in pain as he was left helplessly dangling for more than 20

An American tourist fell backwards onto a spike while trying to scale a fence at Rome’s Colosseum, according to Italian media. The 47-year-old is thought to have been trying to get a better view and a more dramatic selfie at the iconic Roman site.