Narrow escape for man and niece
A MAN and a niece had a narrow escape after a manhole cover exploded just seconds after they had walked over it.
An underground explosion caused by a cable fault blew open a manhole cover outside J Archer Carpets Ltd on Abbey Street, Accrington on Monday, June 6.
Mark Everleigh was holding his four-year-old niece’s hand on Abbey Street in Accrington when the manhole cover exploded less than two metres from them.
The shocked 37-yearold said they heard a loud ‘boom’ sound and turned round to see the manhole cover shooting into the air
Mark, of Warner Street, said they were ‘very lucky’ to avoid any injuries.
He said: “As we walked past that bit it just went ‘boom’ behind us. We had literally just walked past it.
“We were still outside the furniture shop and only about a metre or two away.
“I was holding my niece’s hand and my dog as well.
“Thinking about it now it really shook my up. My niece and I could’ve been stood on that thing if we were a second or two slower.
“She wasn’t scared. She just thought it was hilarious. She said ‘the pavement went boom’.
“I’ve joked about it with my mum and my sister but in hindsight it could’ve been a lot worse.”
Mark, who works at a call centre in Manchester city centre, said they were returning home from a walk in the park with his 10-month-old Staffordshire cross dog Remy when. the incident happened on Monday, June 6.
He added: “It dawned on me that it could’ve been a lot more serious and dangerous to us that it was.
“I’m just happy that no-one was hurt and myself and my niece aren’t hurt.”