Poll: Shrewsbury pint and pants stunt sweeps the internet

Carrying a rugby ball and pint of Guinness, Andrew Thomas marches through the streets of Shrewsbury and downs the pint on camera before nominating two friends to top his exploits themselves.

Mr Thomas, 34, who works for a building firm in Shrewsbury, but hails from Welshpool, is the latest person to be filmed carrying out a 'neknomination' – downing a pint in strange circumstances and then turning the tables on friends.

Mr Thomas, who plays for Welshpool Rugby Club, said he was nominated by a team mate and decided to raise the bar by drinking his pint on Pride Hill in Shrewsbury town centre.

The craze has been criticised by health campaigners and nationally two people are said to have died taking part, including 19-year-old Jonny Byrne from Northern Ireland.

Mr Byrne's family said he died after jumping into the River Barrow, in Carlow, on Saturday after taking part in the craze. They said he wanted to perform an outlandish stunt after being challenged online and jumped into the river despite not being able to swim.

Today Mr Thomas played down his stunt and said he only consumed one pint of alcohol before going to watch the Wales v Italy Six Nations match on Saturday.

His video, on YouTube and the Shropshire Star website, has proven to be a massive hit, watched by thousands.

Mr Thomas said: "It started circulating among the players at my rugby club in Welshpool last week so I guessed at some point all of the players would get nominated.

"I had to do something a bit different to stand out from the other players. Something I noticed a lot in the other videos that people were doing their nominations in private and made it more about necking pints of spirits.

"I wanted to make it more about the public embarrassment while trying to keep it clean and innocent. I didn't want to offend or upset anyone, as that would be a poor representation of our rugby club."

Mr Thomas said he also used the Wales/England rivalry as inspiration for his stunt.

He added: "With it being Shrewsbury I knew singing a Welsh rugby song would be good banter but the reaction was not many people seemed that fussed until I started singing. In fact they pretty much ignored me and walked past. I think some of the videos are over-the-top on the drinking side.

"Keep it to a pint of beer and some innocent fun so everyone can enjoy it. Keep it safe but maybe not sensible."

In the video, Mr Thomas turns to the camera and says: "People of Shrewsbury, if I could have your attention please. Dai Roberts thank you very much for my neck nomination, here it is."

Mr Thomas then drinks the pint in one, before turning back to the camera and saying: "I'd like to nominate Alan Roberts and Dean Pritchard, you have 24 hours, good luck. People of Shrewsbury, enjoy the Six Nations."

He then carries on walking down Pride Hill singing Welsh rugby anthem Hymns and Arias by Max Boyce.

The video finishes with a selection of tourist-style snaps showing Mr Thomas next to The Quantum Leap statue and The Shrewsbury Hotel.

The neknomination craze has swept the UK and Ireland, with thousands of people taking part on social media.

Mr Byrne was discovered floating in the river at Milford Bridge in County Carlow after apparently jumping in as part of a nomination.

His father Joe called on young people to think before taking part in the craze.

He said: "I'm pleading to every youngster to think of the things they're doing.

"It has cost my son his life. The whole family is devastated and our lives will never be the same again. I hope this message is heeded because for us, life is virtually over."

Mr Byrne was one of two people to die after taking part in the craze over the weekend.

Ross Cummins, 22, was found unconscious in a house in Dublin in the early hours of Saturday morning and died later in hospital amid reports he was drinking spirits at the time of his death.