A MAN is in hospital with a broken back after falling more than 10 feet while helping his son build an extension.

David Dyer, 59, fell from roof level, where he was balanced on some scaffolding, onto some wooden joists on the first floor.

His son Simon, 30, and daughter-in-law, Suzanne, 30, saw the accident happen at their home in Knole Road, Dartford.

Suzanne said: “I rushed to call an ambulance but I was so shocked I could hardly press the buttons.”

The ambulance arrived but, with Mr Dyer still several feet above the ground and balanced on the first-floor joists precariously, they decided to call in a fire crew to help rescue him. Firefighters from Dartford fire station attended.

The accident happened at 12.30pm on Saturday, just a week before Mr Dyer was due to celebrate his 60th birthday.

Suzanne added: “He is still in Darent Valley Hospital and they have told him he has cracked a vertebrae. They are carrying out a CT scan to establish exactly how bad the damage is. It’s terrible. He was only up there to help us.”