A MAN had a miraculous escape after plunging 40 feet into a basement flat area.

Daniel Cheetham suffered a broken back, multiple fractures to his left arm and wrist and numerous fractured ribs in the accident in Hove.

He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton before being transferred to St George’s Hospital in London where he spent six weeks.

He then had a further four weeks in a spinal unit before being discharged.

Following intensive rehabilitation, two back operations and three operations on his left arm, Mr Cheetham, 30, from Hove, has been given the all clear.

The pharmaceutical industry recruitment agent is now planning to move to Boston in the USA with his company.

Mr Cheetham recently caught up with the two South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedics who helped care for him.

He said: “I really don’t remember anything at all of the incident itself but it has been on my mind ever since to thank the medical people who came out to rescue me.

“Now I have recovered enough I wanted to thank them in person.”

Secamb clinical team leader Liam McDine got to the scene of the accident less than two minutes after receiving the call.

He said: “When I arrived I didn’t know what had happened and to be confronted with a crowd around a seriously injured man was totally unexpected.

“It was immediately clear this was serious and that I needed urgent back-up.”

Student paramedic Scott Fraser and crewmate Alexander Hudson were among those who rushed to the scene.

Mr Fraser said: “Daniel had suffered severe trauma and showed obvious injuries across his body.

“When we got there Liam had already prepared him for receiving drugs to combat his pain and to assist with blood clotting, in case of internal bleeding.”

Mr Fraser said although Mr Cheetham was semi-conscious they were eventually satisfied he was stable enough to be moved.

Mr McDine and Mr Fraser were amazed to see their patient in such good health at the recent reunion.

Mr Fraser said: “It’s been fantastic to see him face-to-face and to know that our interventions made a difference and helped Daniel to get back to where he wants to be.

“We wish him all the very best for his new life in Boston.”

Mr Cheetham is now planning to raise money through cycling events this year to help support the Secamb services that looked after him in the critical first minutes after his accident.

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