A house painter was gashed in the stomach with broken glass when he fell through a window on a building site.

The 52-year-old man had to be lifted out of the building in Cowley Road, Oxford, by firefighters using a hydraulic platform.

He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, with a six- inch long cut on his stomach.

It is not known whether he also suffered internal injuries.

The accident happened at about 12.30pm yesterday when the man was working in a cradle hanging from scaffolding at second-floor level. He overbalanced and fell through a window into the building, cutting himself very badly although he did not fall far.

As he fell through the window, the glass sheared through his clothing and cut deep into muscle tissue.

The first paramedic crew to arrive at the scene called for assistance and a second crew was sent out. They put the man on an intravenous drip and requested the help of the fire service.

Ambulance supervisor Dave Hogg said: "They felt it was most prudent, because of the building works, if he could be carried out on a flat board through the window and back down to street level and to the ambulance.

"The fire service were very quick to respond, very good, and very professional."

Mr Hogg added that the man had held the edges of the wound together with his hands after he fell and that had helped slow down the blood loss. "I would say he was a lucky chap really. Broken glass is scalpel sharp and will cut through clothing and human tissue so easily it is frightening."

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