A professional wakeboarding coach who sped through a flooded underground car park being pulled by a winch has defended himself after critics branded him an "idiot".
Jack Hammersley, 24, made the most of the wet weather by taking his wakeboard to a car park in Surrey, along with 18-year-old accomplice Jorge Gill.
Mr Gill, from Kilburn in north London, and Mr Hammersley, from Hampshire, used a winch to navigate around concrete pillars at speeds of more than 15mph, when the space was submerged under two feet of water on Sunday night.
The duo were branded idiots by some online commentators, while others praised their ability to make the most of the sodden conditions.
One person said they should not attend an NHS hospital if they were hurt. Another said they should be wearing helmets, another that they were trespassing, and others said the water could be a health risk.
But Mr Hammersley said: "It's not their choice to do it - if we want to do it, it doesn't really matter what they say, we had fun."
As to the accusation of trespassing, he said: "There's no sign saying it's private property."
"We didn't fall off, and that (dirty water) is not something we'd worry about.
"I'm sure people injure themselves doing a lot more stupid things than that," he added.
His only concession was on the helmets. "We probably should be wearing helmets. We normally do - but we were trying to get some good photos."
He said he and Mr Gill were at the car park only on Sunday night. "But if it's still flooded, we might go back again."
The winch pulley system was supplied by Red Bull.
