Rooney says secret to success is eating wild beasts

England ace Wayne Rooney has today declared that the secret to his past and ongoing success is largely down to a diet of eating wild beasts. The claim, exposed this morning in a Moonsport online exclusive, has set Facebook and Twitter alight with various trending topics ranging from users declaring their own particular secrets to success, to vegetarian and vegan horror at the claims.

Rooney, 42, is said to be delighted to have created meanginful online discussion about the pros and cons of beast devouring. The striker's own penchant for lion meat has, in particular, caused a stir amongst the Twitterati.

"I think it's great," said one Tweeter called ButtMunch500. "It's sort of meta, isn't it. Almost like it's part of a made up story."

A list of Rooney's favourite beast meals has been published on the soccer star's blog, and includes:

• Lion rump
• Crocodile kidneys
• Wildebeest knuckles
• Otter tongues
• Mixed nuts

Bear Grylls, explorer and animal faeces lover, has been quick to back the England forward for his candidness:

"It's great, really, that Wayne would feel comfortable declaring his love for such a diverse range of meats. Now, personally, I could skip the meat and go straight onto the animal's waste products, but that's just me. I'm mad, me. I haven't drunk anything but bat blood in 3 days - because it's part of my new show to do things that are completely useless to any viewer."