THE dad of a Blackburn teenager who injured his back in a fall has thanked two passers-by who took care of him until medical help arrived.

John Holden said his son Adam, 14, lost his balance and fell from a bridge wall he had been sitting on over the Leeds Liverpool canal.

He had tried to grab a tree branch to balance himself but it snapped, sending him tumbling down an embank-ment and on to the towpath below.

Adam, who had been playing out with a pal, suffered two fractured vertebrae in his back.

He was found by a woman walking her dog along the towpath who phoned the emergency services.

Meanwhile, another passerby, a man named Nick, called Adam’s dad to inform him what had happened.

“He said Adam had been in an accident but not to be too concerned as he was conscious and was talking.

“He told me which hospital they were taking him to and I set off straight away,” John added.

Adam was strapped to a spinal board by Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team and an air ambulance took him to Royal Preston Hospital following the incident at around 3.15pm on Saturday.

The youngster, a year nine pupil at Pleckgate High School, underwent several X-rays and was kept in hospital over-night.

He was allowed to return home on Sunday and will go back for a check-up in three weeks.

“The doctors said because he is so young, the bones will heal themselves.

“They seemed happy with him and he was allowed home.

“I just want to thank Nick, the lady with the dog, all the paramedics and mountain rescue people, the air ambulance crew and everybody at Royal Preston.

“Adam can’t go out for a few days so it’s spoiled his half-term holidays.

“He won’t be playing near that bridge again, that’s for sure.”