A BUILDER cheated death when he plunged 30 feet from scaffolding on a factory tower.

It took ambulance crews an hour to rescue the 33-year-old man who was left on scaffolding seven feet above the ground after his fall at the Kraft Jacobs Suchard factory in Banbury.

He suffered multiple injuries in the accident yesterday but remained conscious throughout.

Two paramedic crews with a specialist stretcher got the man down and took him to the Horton General Hospital, Banbury. He was later transferred to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

Paramedic John Lowe said: "He seemed in quite high spirits throughout. It'll be a long recovery process but his chances are good."

Spokesman for Kraft Jacobs Suchard, Richard Johnson, said: "He was dismantling some panels on the tower and he slipped and fell off the scaffolding.

"Even though he wasn't one of our employees, we are launching an investigation to find out exactly what happened and see if there's a need to make further improvements in safety."

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