The pain Shay Given experienced when he tore his bowel in a recent match-day collision was comparable to acid being poured into the stomach, the goalkeeper has been told.

The Republic of Ireland international faces a minimum of five weeks on the sidelines following his clash last month with West Ham striker Marlon Harewood.

Given, who misses Ireland's upcoming double-header against Cyprus and the Czech Republic and possibly the San Marino game in November, was speaking for the first time since his injury.

In an online interview with his club, the Donegal man said: "I felt a lot of pain as soon as he (Harewood) hit me. I was very badly winded and I was struggling to breathe, to be honest.

"But eventually I was stretchered off and thought it was easing. I got my breath back a little bit and felt it was just a very bad knock and I was winded.

"I had a shower and when I got out, I got hit by pain I have never felt before in my life in my lower abdomen."

It was at this point that the 30-year-old briefly passed out and was subsequently rushed to a London hospital.  He underwent surgery and spent six nights there before being released and returned to Newcastle.

"The surgeon said it was like someone pouring acid into your stomach, that is the sort of pain I was feeling. I have had injuries before, but never pain like that, so it was pretty serious."

Immediately after surgery, Given's club manager Glenn Roeder revealed that the surgeon who carried out the operation had told him the injury was the sort of thing that might be expected after a car crash rather than a football match.

"The surgeon said he has never seen an injury like this through football," Roeder said at the time. "He has seen it happen in car crashes where there has been impact - I suppose that is what has caused it this time."