Two California students lose fingers in tug-of-war

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - Two Los Angeles-area high school students had fingers severed while taking part in a "spirit week" group tug-of-war contest, authorities said on Tuesday.

A boy and a girl from South El Monte High School were rushed to a local trauma center on Monday afternoon after their fingers were cut off during the tug-of-war at lunchtime, fire and school district officials said.

The students have undergone surgery to reattach the severed digits, El Monte Union High School district superintendent Nick Salerno said.

"I'm a dad too, and my heart goes out to these kids and their families. To me the whole thing is unbelievable," Mr Salerno told Reuters. "I've been in tug-of-wars myself, more than I can even count, and I've never heard anything like this."