THIS is the terrifying moment a toddler plummets into a 6-foot manhole in a communal garden.
Footage shows a “wafer thin” cover flip up as the toddler played on it.
Little Anastasia Pearce, in dark clothing, can be seen plodding towards the manholeKennedy News and Media
After she falls in, her dad runs to the rescueKennedy News and Media
Steven Pearce was unable to reach his daughter so climbed into the chasm himselfKennedy News and Media
A dad has slammed a water company after his toddler “almost died” by plummeting six-feet down a “barely covered” manhole.
Footage shows Anastasia Pearce, three, playing in her dad’s communal front garden on Saturday, February 22, then dramatically disappear into the ground.
Dad Steven Pearce can be heard warning her “not to go past the drain” moments before a “wafer thin” manhole cover flips up and she falls through a “60cm x 40cm” gap.
The panicked 40-year-old says he ran over “faster than Usain Bolt” and laid down to drag Anastasia from the 6ft-deep hole.
He was unable to reach her so climbed into the chasm himself as his other daughter Arizona, five, watched on “thinking her sibling was dead”.
The “petrified” former professional boxer says his legs were “trembling like jelly” for fear Anastasia was seriously hurt.
Luckily she escaped the fall with just a swollen knee and a lump on her head but Steven insists water company Severn Trent should have had a thicker and more secure cover over the hole.
Anastasia’s mum Dani-Leigh Pearce, 32, was “horrified” when she saw the footage and says the dramatic accident “could have broken her daughter’s neck”.
Steven from Stourbridge, West Midlands, said: “The fall could have killed her [Anastasia].
“I told her not to go past the drain because of the canal on the other side but she stopped, turned around to look at me, smiled, and carried on.
“I saw her disappear so I ran to her. There was no thought involved because my natural instincts kicked in.
“I would beat Usain Bolt off the starting line the way I ran. I’ve never ran that fast in my whole life.
“I was in shock. My legs were trembling and they were like jelly. I was petrified.
“I thought I would be able to lie on my belly and reach down to grab her but I couldn’t reach her.
“I climbed down on the metal foot rings but because it was so narrow I couldn’t get her up so I had to lift her up on my shoulder and climb out with her like a fireman rescue.
“Arizona was standing at the top of the hole crying while all of this was happening. She thought her little sister was dead.
“[Anastasia] is a tough kid so she he was fine afterwards and carried on playing but I think she was probably still in shock.
“Severn Trent should know better. I’ve been a builder for 24 years and that drain cover is not sufficient.
Luckily Anastasia escaped the fall with just a swollen knee and a lump on her headKennedy News and Media
Dad Steven with his daughters Arizona (left) and Anastasia (right)Kennedy News and Media
The manhole was 6-feet deepKennedy News and Media
“It should be cast iron but it’s been a galvanised little wafer thin drain which barely covers the hole.
“That’s OK on a 2ft drop, but not a 6ft drop. That’s a really, really, bad mistake from them.”
Builder Steven says he monitored Anastasia for concussion symptoms and last Monday, February 24, his former partner Dani-Leigh took her to hospital to be checked over.
The 32-year-old says Anastasia was given the all-clear by doctors and she’s thankful Steven acted so quickly to grab her.
Dani-Leigh, from Halesowen, West Midlands, said: “I was absolutely horrified when I watched the footage back. I felt sick.
“Luckily I think her age helped her because she was so small she just went right down the centre.
“If it had been her sister, she would have had more chance of hitting her head.
“She was so lucky. It could have been really nasty and from that height she could have broken her neck.
“Thankfully Steven was looking after them and he acted really quickly so I’m just grateful that he was on the ball that day.”
Steven says sonographer Dani-Leigh reported the manhole to Severn Trent on Saturday, February 22, and they sent a worker to the house the same day.
He claims they fitted a temporary cover then returned on Friday, February 28, to replace it with a permanent cast-iron cover.
A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry to hear what has happened and we’re looking into the circumstances as a priority.
“As the family has started an insurance claim, we’re not able to comment further at this time.”
The manhole was ‘barely covered’Kennedy News and Media Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
