RESCUE ACTION LED BY 83 YEAR-OLD ALAN

Former paramedic Alan rang the emergency services, grabbed a ladder so that rescuers could climb into the building, and even offered to mount the ladder himself to reach stricken 79-year-old Robert Earle of The Martlets.

Sadly Mr Earle died in the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, shortly after 5am on Wednesday.

A post mortem will be carried out and there will probably be an inquest.

The drama happened on the Malling estate at 9.50am on Monday when Mr Mackintosh called at his friend s house, not far from his own home in Queens Road.

'As soon as I arrived I could hear moaning sounds coming from the other side of the front door,' he said.

'I looked through the letterbox and could see my friend on the ground. His hand was being held by his 85-year-old brother, Len.

'I asked what was going on and Len said his brother had fallen down concrete steps and was wedged against the door.

'His brother is a burly man and Len had hurt his back trying to move him.

'They seemed to have been there for some minutes. I told them to stay where they were, and I ran home and rang the emergency services.

'An ambulanceman arrived and said he would need a ladder to get in through the balcony. I spotted workmen and grabbed one of their ladders.

'Then paramedics arrived and I told Len to go upstairs and let them in through the French windows when they had climbed up.

'I m glad I got there when I did. We did all we could. He was a good friend.'

Mr Earle, a retired car mechanic, was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital with neck and back injuries and died two days later.

Published: 15.6.01 Sussex Newspapers Ltd