Security has been stepped up at the hospital where the Fritzl incest family are staying in the Austrian town of Amstetten after a security guard was beaten with a bat by a photographer who he had tried to detain.
Hospital management have ordered security to patrol in twos as paparazzi make ever-bolder attempts to get the first picture of the Amstetten victims.
The 30-year-old security guard, who had spotted the photographer on the clinic premises, had to be admitted to the hospital he was guarding after being beaten by the photographer – who managed to run off.
The incident occurred only a couple of days after another security guard needed treatment following a fall from a balcony at the hospital as he grappled with a photographer who was trying to gain access to the family.
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Last week saw hospital management complain that 22 paparazzi had to be forced to leave the clinic after sneaking in to try and get exclusive pictures of the tragic Fritzls.
Some of the photographers had resorted to dressing up as policemen and cleaners and another had made a ‘nest’ for himself in the grounds, which he had filled with food for a long wait should the rare opportunity to take a picture come along.
Head of security at the hospital, Richard Riegler, said of the photographers: “They dig holes in the ground, put aluminium foil over themselves to fool the heat sensitive cameras, and cover themselves with camouflage blankets.”
He added: “Until now, we’ve caught all of them. But I don’t know how long this will last.”
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