A BACUP nine-year-old was impaled on a steel rod after he fell from a wall.

It took firefighters 90 minutes to carefully remove the boy from the two inch ‘rebar’ sticking out from some concrete as his parents watched.

He was airlifted to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for treatment with a flesh wound to his leg and a broken arm.

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Firefighters from Bacup fire station were called to the incident in Anderson Drive in the town’s Rockcliffe area shortly after 3.30pm on Saturday.

On arrival they found the boy speared on the metal rod, used for reinforcing concrete, with his distressed parents tending their injured son.

Bacup councillor James Easton is now calling for action to clear up the area which has seen extensive new house building in recent years.

Bacup fire station crew manager, Dave Loney, said: “The nine-year-old was impaled on a rebar, a steel rod of about two to two and half inches protruding from some concrete.

“He had a broken arm and a the bar was sticking about two inches into his leg which was bleeding.

“The nine-year-old had been walking along a wall in Anderson Drive when he fell off onto the grass way from the road onto the the bar which was sticking up.

“It was tricky operation to remove him from the rod and took about an hour and a half.

“The boy was very brave and calm throughout.

“His parents were there with him and very calm in front of him but very distressed with us.

“He was taken by air ambulance to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

“The boy’s injuries were not life threatening and did not look serious.”

Greensclough Tory Cllr Eaton said: “There has been a lot of housebuilding by developers in this area.

“This incident is very concerning and could have been tragic.

“Clearly the developers, Lancashire County and Rossendale Council officials need to look carefully at the whole estate and surrounding area and clear up potential hazards that remain.

“I am also concerned about blocked gratings on nearby roads which could lead to ice if they are not cleared.

“I also want to know what the footpath from Anderson Close and Anderson Drive to Stubby Lee Park has been ‘temporarily’ closed for four years because of the building work.

“It needs to be reopened so children can walk to the park quickly and easily.”