Boy survived 50-foot plunge

Lorraine Tinney • Published 26 Jun 2009 14:00

A DEVASTATED mum feared her teenage son could have died after he fell 50 feet on to a railway line.

Fourteen-year-old Martin Gardner suffered burns all over his body after grabbing a live cable attached to a container.

The electric shock knocked him backwards and he fell down an embankment.

Miraculously, Martin managed to drag himself across the track to safety before being rescued by paramedics and police.

Mum Lynn, of Aberfoyle Road, said: 'He could have died. The paramedics said the rubber on his trainers saved him.'

Lynn rushed to Greenock"s West Station shortly after 5pm after getting a frantic call from her sister.

She said: 'I just panicked. I wasn"t allowed on the track because it was "live", but ambulance staff told me he was fine.

'They put him on a stretcher and they and the police carried him up. As soon as I saw him, I went over and gave him a kiss.'

Only two weeks ago, the Inverclyde Academy pupil broke his foot playing football and he still bears the scars of a road accident three years ago.

His dad, Martin senior, 32, said: 'I was devastated. Nurses at the hospital said he was very lucky. He could have died.

'The shock made his body go limp and he fell 40ft down the embankment.'

Martin had been playing with his cousins and niece in a car park in Sir Michael Street on Saturday afternoon when he climbed onto a container and pulled the wire, thinking he could use it to retrieve a bike.

He said: 'I grabbed the cable and there was a bang and smoke and I fell down the embankment.'

A good Samaritan stayed with him until help arrived. Martin suffered a broken arm and has severe burns all over his body, black eyes and bruising.

As revealed by the Tele on Monday, Martin was taken to the IRH and later transferred to Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he stayed for four days. Martin said: 'I got a lot of blood taken out me and I was brave.'

His mum added: 'I"m just glad he"s home - and I"m not letting him out.'

The family would like to thank police, ambulance and hospital staff and the man who went to Martin"s aid for all their help.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 26 Jun 09

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