A World War Two hero who twice survived being bombed says the end of his life has been ruined – after falling down an open MANHOLE.
Former radio operator Daniel Davies, 93, took a tumble down the 4ft exposed hole while out shopping for a new chair with his daughter, Jenny Foley.
He broke three ribs and his hip in the incident and in hospital for three weeks – missing his 72nd wedding anniversary.
The accident happened at a building in Plymouth, Devon, owned by a single landlord and split into residential flats above a furniture shop.
Daniel, of Plymouth, who was relatively mobile before the fall and cared for his wife, Elsie, will now have to spend his final years recovering from his injuries.
Although the pensioner doesn’t recall much of what happened that day, he said he was “jammed solid” in the hole.
He added: “My left leg went down the manhole and my right leg came up underneath me. My ribs caught the top of the manhole and I was stuck down to my waist.
“I feel really upset. It’s coming to the twilight years of my life, which I would have liked to have enjoyed, but now all I am doing is in hospital.
“I’ve been in here for a long time and it is very uncomfortable.
“It is an absolute blur; I was really delirious and didn’t know where I was going and how I was going to get out of there, because I was absolutely jammed solid in the hole.
“I feel that the end of my life has been completely spoilt.”
Son-in-law David Foley, 68, said the incident happened at the end of January when he was being taken shopping to look for a more comfortable chair.
He said “One of the shops they visited was called Union Street Furnishers.
“During their visit, the owner of the property had sent in a maintenance crew to clean the drains for the flats above.
“Unfortunately, my father-in-law fell down a four-foot-deep manhole, fracturing his ribs and his pelvis, and has been in Derriford and now here at Mount Gould trying to recuperate since.
“Everybody has been apologetic, but that doesn’t change what has happened.
“I’ve made a report to the Health and Safety Executive, and Plymouth City Council are now involved with a view to prosecute the owner.
“The fire service has also been down there and advised the tenants what they have to do to make the property safer for the public.”
Plymouth City Council said: “We are currently investigating an incident that took place in Union Street Furnishers last month.
“As this is an ongoing investigation we are unable to comment further at this time.”
