Actress needs total rest after incident with fidget spinner

ACTRESS, Ayoola Smart, has been advised to take ‘compete rest’ at the home of her mother in Schull, after being injured in a bizarre fidget spinner accident in Cork last week.

A spokesperson for the actress confirmed to The Southern Star that the 22-year-old actress suffered a concussion when she was struck behind the ear after a child lost control of the fidget spinner.

Her accident comes just days after customs officials impounded thousands of the spinners, which they alleged were unsafe.  

The spinners – which are meant to relieve stress and boredom – have become a craze in recent months, with some schools banning them outright as they are proving a distraction to students.

Since the accident – which happened at the Wilton Shopping Centre – Ayoola has, on the advice of her doctor, been advised to take two weeks’ complete rest at home with her mother, Sally Smart, a local drama teacher. 

Ayoola, who was scheduled to play the role of Serena, the mermaid, in Futureproof – a play that is running at The Everyman Theatre as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival – has had to withdraw from the role.

Another actress, Karen McCartney, has already been cast and will be appearing in the award-winning play by Lynda Radley, starting with a preview performance on June 13th next.

Last year, Ayoola came to prominence in The Taming of the Shrew at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London, but has since appeared in BBC’s Holby City and ITV’s Vera.

Ayoola, who has lived in West Cork since she was three years old, has always wanted to be an actress.

She relocated to London, when she was just 18 years old, to train at the East 15 acting school, which is one of the top drama schools in the UK.

Meanwhile, the cast members of Futureproof and everyone in The Everyman Theatre wished Ayoola ‘a speedy recovery.’ 

The spokesperson said: ‘They very much hope to have the opportunity to work with her again.’