Escalator plunge dad still in hospital four months after being paralysed in horror interchange fall

52-year-old Neil Anderson was left with life changing injuries, suffering spinal damage, internal bleeding and was pronounced dead for eight minutes after falling headfirst down the escalator – which was switched off at the time – in the interchange last October.

His nephew Grant Menzies has said that Mr Anderson is unable to walk – and says medics have told him that he is lucky to be alive.

He said: “He is still in hospital, on the spinal unit in Sheffield.

"He is disabled from the waist down now – he cannot walk but he can at least stand up thanks to therapy.

"But he cannot walk properly or use his arms and hands very well yet.

"He had a spinal scan last week confirming his injury and they said it’s a miracle he’s still alive and they are surprised he’s not completely paralysed.

"When he fell, he banged his head, neck and spine and what it’s done is push his spine up to his neck and crushed his spinal cord so it’s leaking

"He’s in recovery but he’s still in a dangerous position. On the scan was a big mark where his cord has squashed and leaking.

"He’s very lucky but he’s got a long road to recovery.”

Money poured in for Edlington-based Mr Anderson who was put into an induced coma and left in a critical condition after falling all the the way down the escalator which connects the Frenchgate shopping centre with the bus interchange on October 7 last year.

His angry family say the escalator was not switched on at the time of the incident as he headed for a bus after a meal with a friend.

The family are still demanding answers and Grant added: "We think he took his first step onto it and then realised it wasn't moving because it's quite thin. It was broken, but there weren't any barriers saying this, so then he just fell down. People have said he has done a forward roll from the top to the bottom, while screaming.”