Man rescued after getting stuck while putting up Christmas lights

Pub manager describes ‘thrilling’ operation to help stranded council worker

A man is rescued from a broken cherry picker in Market Harborough, Leicestershire (PA)

Firefighters had to rescue a man who got stuck on a cherry picker while putting up Christmas lights.

The embarrassed council worker was left stranded seven metres off the ground when the aerial platform malfunctioned on Sunday afternoon.

He quickly attracted an audience of around 25 people, including customers of the pub next door.

The man was finally brought down from his perch in the town of Market Harborough with the help of Leicestershire Fire and Rescue.

“He was up there for about two hours,” said Angela Denison, the manager of the Nags Head pub on Church Street.

“I was thinking poor old Church Street never has it easy when it comes to Christmas illuminations, does the man stuck up there want a pint and its a good job its not raining.

“Our customers enjoyed the unexpected entertainment and the ladies loved the arrival of all those fireman, especially when the impressive rescue equipment arrived.”

Leicester Fire and Rescue said it received an emergency call at 2.14pm reporting that a cherry picker “malfunctioned whilst being utilised to put up Christmas lights.”

“The cherry picker could not be lowered and one male was stuck approximately seven metres off the ground,” the service said in a statement.

“He was rescued with the use of the aerial ladder platform.”

Harborough District Council was left to recover the broken-down cherry picker.