Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford has recounted a recent 'escape room' experience and his past struggles in football.

The 24-year-old visited a 'Cluedini' escape room in Yarm with teammates Britt Assombalonga and Lewis Baker.

Bamford, who was stretchered off with a neck brace in Boro's 2-1 win over Bristol City on Saturday, struggled to complete the escape challenge.

"It was quite hard! For the first 10 minutes we were walking around aimlessly, thinking, 'How do we start this?'," Bamford told The Sun.

"By the end of it we were cracking on and if we'd had five minutes extra we'd have got out, but we didn't do it."

The former Chelsea forward had not scored a goal between April 2015 and May 2017, but netted nine times during February and March this year.

"I've always believed that when I play up front and once I've scored, then I keep scoring," Bamford said.

"So I'm disappointed with myself because I haven't scored in the last three games.

"I need to get back on the goal trail on Saturday. It's nine in 10 – but I'd rather say it's 11 in 11."

Bamford also feels that his private education has had an effect on his sporting career.

"It eats away at you at first but now I just laugh it off," he said.

"Football is generally a working-class sport and because of the fact I went to private school and was brought up slightly differently, people think that makes me a different person."

Bamford secured a permanent move to the Riverside Stadium in January 2017.