It's definitely movie trickery. I'll bet there's a blooper reel out there of shot after shot of Sean Bean hitching that sheild up. Then again, what is it made of? Is it metal or is it polystyrene? If it's polystyrene, then Ngila could have just stitched it to his costume..end of problem.

Glad to hear about your hidey hole. Enjoy it! You deserve it.