Kentish Express Ashford & District
Christmas lights worker hurt in fall from ladder
‘He was out for four or five minutes and the paramedics brought him round’
A worker is recovering at home after falling from a ladder while putting up Christmas lights in Ashford High Street.
The accident happened just before 4pm on Monday at the upper end of the High Street, near Marks and Spencer.
The following morning a spokesman for the company he was working for, Festive Impact Lighting, said the man, from Essex, was doing well.
Lynn Heath from the Essexbased company said: “He was up a ladder putting up some lights when his foot slipped and he fell about 4ft.
“He fell backwards and hit his head.
“He was out for maybe four or five minutes and then the paramedics brought him round.
“It was brilliant how many people from the emergency services came out because they didn’t know how serious it was.
“He was taken to hospital, where he was checked out and they told him to stay off work for 24 hours, which is company policy anyway.
“I drove him home last night and he’s fine.
“We’ve been in business for 25 years and been doing Ashford’s Christmas lights for eight years, and we’ve never had any problems before.”
Two ambulances, three paramedic vehicles and a car belonging to the air ambulance team attended after the fall.
Ambulance spokesman Rich Airey said the worker, believed to be in his late 30s, was taken to the William Harvey Hospital.
A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said they had not been made aware of the fall as the Express went to press but added companies had 10 days to report accidents.
An Ashford council spokesman said: “We are aware of the accident involving an employee of Festive Impact Lighting Ltd who fell from a ladder while putting up Christmas lights in Ashford’s High Street.
“The company has been putting up Ashford’s lights for a number of years and this is the first reportable accident that has occurred.
“We understand the gentleman was released from hospital Monday night, which is good news.
“Ashford council’s health and safety officer has visited the site and is meeting the company to discuss the incident before work resumes.”
For story on the Christmas lights switch-on date see page 23