A five-year-old girl was lucky to walk away with only cuts and bruises after falling twelve feet down a drain shaft in Banks.
The youngster was playing with older siblings on Aveling Drive when she stepped on the drain cover situated next to the foot path.
The cover suddenly gave way, and to horror of her watching brother and sister, she fell straight down the shaft into the water below.
Miraculously the cast iron drain cover did not fall onto her and she was rescued from the shaft with minor injuries and suffering from shock.
The youngster’s father has now covered the drain himself and placed cones to alert other foot path users until the council arrive to enact emergency repairs.