Blackpool workman seriously injured after scaffolding collapses in Lytham Road

The pair were injured after scaffolding came crashing down at a solicitor’s office in Lytham Road at around 4.50pm.

One of the builders, aged in his mid-30s, was seriously hurt and had to be rescued from under the twisted wreckage.

He has suffered multiple injuries, including a broken hip, fractured neck, two broken wrists and a small bleed on the brain.

His colleague also sustained injuries to his ribs and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Lytham Road was blocked off while fire and ambulance crews worked at the scene outside the office of personal injury lawyers Barker Booth & Eastwood.

Ex-forces radio presenter helps rescue injured builders

Local radio presenter Sean Ryan, 47, saw the scaffolding give way with a ‘huge crash’.

The former soldier, who now co-owns Fylde Coast Radio in Lytham Road, ran over to the scene where he found one of the workmen trapped under a heap of twisted metal and rubble.

He was joined by another ex-serviceman, 28-year-old Ben Gratton, and the pair set to work pulling the man free from the wreckage.

“I heard a loud crash and turned around to see a man running from the collapsing scaffold,” said Sean, who stayed by the injured man’s side until paramedics arrived.

“I then saw the whole thing give way. It was scary to witness.

"I asked the other injured guy where his mate was and he said ‘he's still under the scaffolding!’

“So I made the decision to just go under and help him. Ben was passing by and saw I was struggling to pull him out, so he came over and helped me.

"We dragged him to safety and Ben took off his jacket and put it under the workman’s head which was bleeding quite badly.

"I noticed he had broken both wrists so I placed his hands on his chest and spoke to him to keep him awake.

"He was slipping in and out of consciousness, so I kept talking to him and held his head stable until the paramedics arrived.

“He was in so much pain, I just kept telling him ‘everything is going to OK’.

“It was really shocking and both men are lucky to be alive. I’m just glad I was able to help.”

Ben, who runs Blackpool plumbing service Gastight Services, said the workman is “lucky to be alive".

“It was shocking to witness,” added the former soldier. “We saw him trapped under the scaffolding and we just had to get him away before the rest of it gave way.

“He was in a bad way but he's lucky to be alive. We wish him the best with his recovery.”

Statement from fire and ambulance crews

A fire service spokesperson said: “Two fire engines from Blackpool and South Shore attended a rescue of a person incident on Lytham Road, Blackpool.

"Two casualties sustained injuries when some scaffolding collapsed.

“Firefighters treated the casualties’ injuries using trauma packs before placing them in the care of North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) paramedics.

"Crews remained in attendance for two hours.”

An ambulance spokesperson added: “We were called to an incident in Lytham Road at 4.50pm and attended with two ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and a senior clinician.

"Two patients were taken to hospital with multiple injuries.”

The Health and Safety Executive – Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety – has been approached for comment.