A walker stranded on Table Mountain in South Africa after falling 60 ft on to a narrow ledge decided his best hope of rescue was to phone his granddad - in England.

Air steward Leigh Lander got out his mobile phone and called 76-year-old Joe Parker in Uckfield, after tumbling on to the ledge above a 100 ft drop.

He was walking down the mountain on his own after his brother Dale, 29, and two friends took a cable car down.

Leigh, 26, from Eastbourne, took a wrong turn and found himself on the steep route used by abseilers rather than the walking path.

He lost his footing and tumbled 30 ft, gashing his leg but decided to push on. He then fell another 60 ft, on to the ledge.

He clung on for five hours while his granddad tried to organise his rescue.

Mr Parker searched the internet to find the phone number of a nearby mountain rescue team so Leigh could call them. Eventually Leigh was rescued by a military helicopter from Cape Town.

He was told no one had ever fallen so far without breaking anything or dying.

He said: "It was a miracle, especially since I was wearing my number 13 shirt. I was thoroughly X-rayed because they couldn't believe I hadn't broken anything.

"I think my new trainers cushioned my landing and absorbed the impact so I didn't break my back."

Mr Lander had gone on holiday to South Africa with his brother and their two friends. On November 22, the adventurers went shark diving in a cage and on November 23, they decided to make the trip up Table Mountain. After enjoying the scenery, Dale and their friends caught the cable car down but determined Leigh decided to walk down.

He said: "I knew it would be challenging but not suicidal. There was nothing to indicate it was the abseil route.

"I have lived my life outdoors, I am very sporty and very determined. I kept thinking, This is the pedestrian trail. It can't be that difficult.'"

Leigh first fell 30ft and damaged his right leg, suffering cuts and bruises but he had fallen too far to go back up and had to keep going.

About 20 minutes later he fell another 60ft and remembers thinking he was going to die.

Luckily he landed on the ledge.

He had his phone with him because his heavily-pregnant fiancee Kirsty McGroggan, 24, was expecting their first child.

After Leigh was certain the rescue team was on its way he called Kirsty.

Five hours later the military helicopter winched a shocked Leigh from the ledge by his wrists.

His brother and friends were waiting for him at the bottom, having heard that someone had fallen.

It was his second brush with death after a serious car crash a few years ago so Leigh was taking it in his stride but Kirsty was less than thrilled.

He was taken to hospital for a check up and kept in overnight on a drip.

He was released the next day with bruising, cuts and a very stiff neck.

Now back home, Leigh said: "I can see the funny side but Kirsty is about to give birth any day and doesn't find it funny at all.

"After I was rescued a German guy fell off the other side and broke his back. I was very lucky."

Leigh and Kirsty plan to get married abroad in the summer but Kirsty has ruled out one of their choices - Table Mountain.