A man who broke his legs when he fell from a Huddersfield town centre roof told emergency services he was “looking for pigeon eggs”,

The man in his mid-40s fell from a shop roof in Victoria Lane - just off New Street - early on Thursday morning.

He landed behind a locked gate next to some buildings and remained undiscovered for some time before a passer-by heard his screams and called 999.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service arrived at the scene but realised they could not get access to the casualty who was stranded behind the metal gate.

Firefighters from Huddersfield Fire Station were called to assist the paramedics.

Watch Commander Jimmy Fitt led the crew that responded to the call in one appliance at around 8.20am. He explained that hydraulic cutting equipment was used to gain access to the injured man via New Street, which runs perpendicular to Victoria Lane.

“He had severely broken his legs and it appeared he had been there for a period of time before a passer-by heard his screams and alerted the emergency services,” continued Watch Commander Fitt.

“He told paramedics he was on the roof so early in the morning because he was looking for pigeon eggs.”