THE emergency services were called after a traffic warden fell through a broken manhole cover in a car park.

An ambulance crew reached Steven Close after he phoned for help. He had an injured leg.

The incident happened in Highbury Hall car park at Tenterden, near Ashford.

According to Ashford Borough Council, the broken cover had been temporarily covered after its state was reported to them last week, but vandals removed the board. There is some confusion about who is responsible for the drain.

Caroline Owen, spokesman for the borough council, said: “It is water-related but does not appear on any databases and Southern Water claim it is not theirs. It could well be an old private connection of some sort.

“Despite the fact that it is technically not the council’s responsibility, the ABC wished to see the problem solved as quickly as possible and ordered a new cover and will see to the repair.”

She added: “The manhole has been temporarily covered again and we are monitoring the site in case vandals strike again.”