AN eight-year-old boy told today how he plunged 30ft down a cliff and ended up stranded in water and unable to move in 20 minutes.

Craig Brereton, of Thirlmere Avenue, Burnley, had been with pals and had gone into a wood off Lower Manor Lane to get down to Pendle Water to collect tadpoles last Wednesday.

He tripped over tree roots which were slippy because of rain and he fell down the cliff into the water.

The pupil at St Peter's C of E School, Burnley, said: "I just tumbled down the hill and there was nothing I could grab hold of to stop myself.

"I landed in the water on my back and it was cold. I was frightened. My friends went to get someone to help me.

"I was in the water for about 20 minutes and I couldn't move at all."

Craig had struck his head fracturing his skull and also suffered a hairline fracture to his right shoulder.

Police, firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene and he was put on to a board before being carefully stretchered away from the scene.

Craig's mum Patricia said: "His friends told me he had fallen and was bleeding from a cut to his head.

"I never knew that path was there until I went to try to find him. I saw the police and the fire and when I got to where it happened the fireman told me not to go down because it was slippy and steep, but he did say he could hear Craig crying." He was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital were he was in the intensive care unit until Saturday.

Patricia, who works as a site supervisor at Craig's school, said: "My husband David stopped with us at the hospital until Sunday night when it looked like Craig was going to be in hospital for some time longer. Then when the surgeons came round on Monday they did some tests and said he could come home. I rang his dad and he was amazed."

Craig has an older brother Adrian, 24, and sister, Jacqueline, 20. He had a mountain of cards at home, many hand-made from his school friends.

Patricia said: "I want to say a big thank-you to the emergency services for everything that they did to help Craig.

"I was devastated when it happened but it is such a relief to have him back at home and on the mend."

Craig has vowed never to go back to the footpath again and Patricia urged all children to stay away from the area.