ACCIDENT prone Christian Wheadon, 11, was today back in hospital for the third time in a year - after his latest escapade ended with him being rescued from a river.

Christian, of Fair View Road, Burnley, was looking for fish in the River Calder near to Todmorden Road last night when he fell ten feet from a wall on to cobble stones next to the water.

In May last year he narrowly escaped death when he was trapped up to his waist in a muddy river bed and rescued just moments before passing out from the cold.

Since then he has spent a week in hospital with a badly burnt stomach after nail varnish he was playing with caught fire.

Friends raised the alarm after last night's accident and firefighters and paramedics strapped him on to a stretcher and lifted him out.

The operation took some time as it was thought Christian may have injured his back and neck.

Christian lives with his grandparents. His grandfather, Robert Holding, said: "He is a mischievous lad full of life and fun.

"In some ways he has been lucky, I think he must have nine lives and now he has had used up three of them. I just hope he is more careful in the future.

"He just loves fishing and two of the incidents have happened when he has been fishing in the river. "We were up at the hospital with him last night. He is covered in bruises all over his arms, legs and back. and his head was supported to prevent movement.'' Christian is in Burnley General Hospital where his condition today was described as comfortable.

Last May, Christian was playing on the banks of the River Calder at Padiham when he became lodged in the mud which sucked him in up to his waist.

His aunt, Catherine Holding, of Elizabeth Street, Padiham, and his grandfather tried to pull him clear but he was stuck fast.

When firefighters and paramedics finally pulled him out he was groggy and falling asleep and his legs were hurting him from the pressure of the mud and cold.

Paramedic Mark Cox said at the time: "He was absolutely petrified. The suction of the mud had pulled him right in and he couldn't move."

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