United Kingdom - A crane driver who collapsed 100ft in the air above Liverpool's biggest regeneration project was winched down to safety in a dramatic rescue yesterday. The Paradise Project worker was in his cab when he became violently ill with gastric flu, which has swept across Merseyside over the last week, and radioed his manager for help before fainting.

Paramedics and firefighters were on the scene within minutes and an elaborate pulley system was set up to get him safely down.

The driver had been operating a T-shaped crane on the new John Lewis department store when he collapsed at around 10.45am.

Firefighters climbed up the crane and tried to get him out of the cab, which is near the top of the scaffolding, just below the crossbar intersection.

A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: "The crane driver had been very ill at the top of the crane.

"The ambulance service realised he had the gastric flu bug which has hit the city and knew that every time a sufferer stands up they faint so they had to call us in to help get him down.

"He was about 100 feet up in the air so we sent our urban search and rescue team out and their specially trained high level rope rescuers went up. They put a safety harness on him and guided him down the inside of the tower and put him in an ambulance."

An ambulance service spokeswoman said the man had complained of dizziness and vomiting and fell unconscious for a short time when he fainted.

Rescue teams planned to take the worker to safety by strapping him to a stretcher and winching him down the outside of the crane but he was conscious by the time they had climbed to the top.

He is now recovering at home after being treated at the scene by paramedics for gastroenteritis.

The bug has spread across the region with Aintree hospital having to partially close seven wards in order to keep affected patients isolated from the rest of the hospital.

Viral gastroenteritis, commonly known as "winter vomiting bug", also hit wards at Southport hospital, and Arrowe Park hospital in Wirral.

Many workers on the building site downed tools while they watched the rescue operation. Grosvenor scheme project contractors Laing O'Rourke often practices crane rescues with the fire service.

A spokeswoman said: "The crane worker is recuperating at home and we all hope he feels better soon."

Written by Daily Post - Liverpool