Watch a brave but foolish Englishman attempt to jump over a fast-moving bale of hay

An Englishman attempted to jump over a high-speed hay bale: it was an ill-advised decision that ended with him suffering injury – and making him look decidedly the worse for wear.

The incident was captured on a friend's mobile phone and has been watched by millions of people online.

It was uploaded onto Instagram by Harry Connell and it is understood to be Connell in the clip, losing in a battle with the hay bale.

"F**king hate hay bails [sic]," he wrote on the social platform. "Can hardly move without pain" he added, admitting that he "didn't think it through".

His recently-announced disdain for hay bales was not in evidence when he bent his knees and prepared to jump over a large one that was accelerating down a slight incline in a farmer's field.

If anything, it looked like he believed he could more than take it on.

But then he jumped and failed to get anywhere near clear of the hurtling object, which crisply clipped him into mid air, causing him to perform a reverse somersault that was followed by a wince-inducing landing on the wet grass.

Thankfully, he sat straight up. "Oh my God! He's winded," his friends said in between fits of hysterical laughter.

The exact details of his injuries are not known. He can be seen holding his wrist in the video, but no reference is made to any kind of break or fracture on the social media post.

Regardless, it is unlikely he will ever attempt to tackle a hay bale so brazenly again.