The mother of a 12-year-old boy who fell 50ft through a factory roof has told of his incredible luck in surviving virtually unscathed.

Finn Mitchell-Stubley was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary yesterday (Thurs) after plummeting through a Holmfirth factory roof.

He is the grandson of the legendary, late Holmfirth artist Trevor Stubley whose 500 portrait commissions included ones from the Queen and JB Priestley.

Lucky to be alive - Finn Mitchell-Stubley

Finn, who attends Holmfirth High School, was taken to hospital with leg injuries after the tumble from the roof of Premier Hank Dyers at 2.30pm.

He was with a friend when he fell through a corrugated asbestos roof at the back of Bottoms Mill.

Staff there gave him first aid and comforted him while they waited for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance to arrive.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance at Bottoms Mill, off Woodhead Road, Burnlee, Holmfirth, after a 12 year old boy fell off the roof at Premier Hank Dyers
Yorkshire Air Ambulance rescue young Finn

Today (Fri) his mum, Kirsty Mitchell, a 45-year-old school nurse, said he had been allowed home from hospital and was looking forward to recovering at his home in Woodhead Road, Holmfirth.

He suffered a slight fracture of his pelvis but does not require surgery.

Kirsty said: “He has been a very lucky boy. He has certainly learned his lesson and won’t be doing that kind of thing again. Apparently he fell through a fragile part of the roof.”

She said the experience had been “surreal”.

Finn is taken on board the air ambulance

She said: “My partner, Jonathan Boothroyd, and I were at home and we saw the Yorkshire Air Ambulance flying over our home. I didn’t have a clue that it was anything to do with us.

“I didn’t find out until around three hours later at 5.30pm when Finn’s father, Gabriel, who’s a firefighter, rang me. An ex-firefighter who had worked with him had found out and phoned him.

“Finn said he shut his eyes as he fell through the air. It seems unbelievable but when he landed on the floor he got up and walked straightaway. I think he must have been in shock.

Finn fell 50ft through a factory roof in Holmfirth

“He was as white as a sheet. There were people in the area who helped him. He’s been given a reprimand. He shouldn’t have been there but now he is coming home to rest with me. He has been a very lucky boy.”

Charlotte Heaton, an administrator at Premier Hank Dyers, told the Examiner yesterday: “We believe some boys had been climbing on the roof at the back near the pond and one of them fell through the corrugated roof.

“According to my boss he fell about 15 metres. He must have climbed to get up there. The first I knew was when the first aider came in with him and it was like: ‘Where did he come from?’

“He was very pale and confused. I called an ambulance and he was taken to the first aid room.

“The ambulance came straightaway and the air ambulance and he went to hospital in the helicopter. He’s been very lucky.”