A scaffolder has suffered serious injuries after a metal tube he was lifting hit an overhead power line - sending 48,000 volts through his body.

Ramsgate dad Steven Gilmore, 36, has remained in hospital since the incident, in which he also fell from a height and endured nasty electrical burns.

The Canterbury-based scaffolder, known to many as Gilly, has undergone emergency surgery and is in a serious but stable condition.

But the incident, which happened in Crawley on November 29, has resulted in life-changing injuries - with the full extent of damage to his body still unknown.

His partner Vicky Blackman has been travelling to the burns unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to visit him where he remains receiving treatment.

“Hand and burn surgeons have been round and have told me how his surgery went (on Tuesday),” she said. “He was in the theatre for six hours.

“Now they have to wait and pray for the next few days to see exactly the severity of his internal burns and how much of his hands and arms are going to survive.

“It’s hard to say as his thumbs and forearms have completely severed the muscles and the tissue is dead.

“But how far up is what they will find out over the next few days.

“I expect Monday morning to go to the theatre to see how the donated skin is taking and if his fingers and thumbs are managing to stay alive. With 48,000 volts going through his body, it’s a lot more than burns.

“His kidneys are being closely monitored and his lungs are bruised from the fall or the electrical currents - they’re aren’t sure.”

She said a blood clot in his leg is being closely monitored too and he has also had extensive leg surgery.

“The surgeon has said this is going to be a long and rough road to recovery - (and is) physically and mentally exhausting for him.”

One of his pals, Kieran Friend, 45, launched a fundraising campaign to help Mr Gilmore’s family as he remains in hospital.

So far, more than £13,000 has been raised - with a target now set at £15,000.

“I’m over the moon with the amount of money raised for Gilly so far,” Mr Friend said.

“I never knew it would have gotten this high so thank you to all who have put in.

“But the more I think about things and the recovery of Gilly - which is going to take months not weeks - the family will definitely need a lot more money than we have already raised.

"For Vicky travelling up to Chelsea Hospital to see him - which comes with silly amounts of cost to park, plus like everyone else, we still have bills to pay.”

To donate to the fundraiser, click here.