Kirkcaldy pensioner's lucky escape after falling down hole left by workmen

Jane Houston (86), suffered cuts and bruises and was badly shaken after slipping between two plastic covers that were over the hole on Whytehouse Avenue .

Jane only manage to escape after a good samaritan, who was working nearby heard her pleas for help before pulling her to safety.

Marion Attan, Jane’s daughter, who owns Hairodrome hairdressers on Whytehouse Avenue, was alerted to her mum’s accident after a lady ran into her shop to tell her that Jane had fallen into the hole just yards from her shop.

She said: “A woman ran into my shop and said that mum had fallen down the hole on the street, when I got there a very kind gentleman had already pulled her out and she had a gash on her knee, her hands were skinned, and was very shaken.

"She has been very lucky – she could have been killed!

"The hole has been there for months now, when we phoned the council about it they said that they had no record of work being done on the street."

"We also phoned the police and they said that they think it is kids that keep removing the barriers, and that there is not much they can do about it.

"My poor mum has not been right since – I think she is still in shock!”

The good samaritan, who does not want to be named, said: “At first I thought it was a joke being played on me by workmen shouting and waving me over.

"I went over to the hole and saw the lady in it up to her neck so I pulled her out – she was very upset, it was horrific!

"It’s a disgrace, the barriers were not around the hole and the pads that cover it were not secured in any way.”

Fife Council service manager, Bill Liddle, confirmed that the excavation work had been carried out by a contractor from Glasgow for a Scottish Water connection to a property in the street.He said: "The contractor has now placed a steel plate over the excavation until Scottish Water can complete the work."

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