SHOPPERS in Burnley town centre were left shocked after a man fell from the upper level of a shopping centre.

The 54-year-old man fell from the top of the Charter Walk shopping centre precinct into Market Square.

He was taken to hospital where last night it was understood he was being treated.

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Retail staff and shoppers, including a large group of students, saw the man fall from the raised walkway above Argos, close to the Poundland store.

Market Square, which also houses New Look, WH Smith and River Island, is one of the busiest retail spots in the town.

Witnesses said there were a lot of shoppers around at the time the man fell into the busy thoroughfare below from a balcony around 20 ft above the ground. The entire walkway is fenced with white railings, but witnesses reported seeing the man standing on the wrong side of the safety barrier immediately before he fell.

Poundland staff member Lisa Hayhurst, 45, saw the incident, which happened at around 4.15pm yesterday.

She said: “He was a middle aged man. He was on the other side of the railing and he was looking at people who were coming past.

“He just seemed to slide down and landed on his feet but smashed his head back.

“The police came and the ambulance. There were a lot of people around.

“It was a bit of a shock, it’s not something you expect to see.”

Her colleague Sylvia Lord, 56, said: “Lisa told me what had happened, it gave her the fright of her life.

“I saw him lying on the floor right after he fell.

“He landed on his back.

“Somebody from Argos ran out and put a fleece over him.

“There were a lot of students round him and they rang for an ambulance.”

An Argos staff member also reported seeing a large group of students, who were standing next to the man when he fell, come to his aid.

Emergency services were called to the scene straight after the incident happened.

Police said the air ambulance had been scrambled to attend with a view tto take the man to Royal Preston Hospital.

The helicopter landed on Pioneer car park, but witnesses said they believed the man had been taken to hospital by road.