Fire crews rescue construction man

Fire crews from Gateshead Community Fire Station, Wallsend Community Fire Station and Fulwell Fire Station came to the rescue today of a man stuck 50ft in the air in the cage of a cherry picker on North Tyneside at lunch time today.

The man, in his 50s, who had been trapped for 30 minutes before a call was made to the fire and rescue service, had been maintaining external lights at Marden Bridge Sports Centre in Whitley Bay when the cherry picker is believed to have failed.

Fire crews from Gateshead and Wallsend Community Fire Stations were quickly on the scene and called in Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service's 100ft (32m) arial ladder platform from Fulwell Fire Station.

Watch Manager John James, from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, was the officer in charge of the rescue said: "When we arrived it was clear the man had been stuck for a little while. Whilst he was strapped in to the cage the cherry picker was titled 45 degrees to maintain the lights. Using our 100ft ladder two firefighters were able to rescue him.

"Thanks to the professionalism and dedication of our crews we have been able to rescue the man safely. There is no doubt that the incident could have been much worse and all he wanted was a hot cup of tea.