Boy, 5, lucky to survive fall into uncovered deep sewer outside Ilchester home

A young boy had a narrow escape after tumbling into an 8ft deep sewer when the manhole cover outside his home was not properly secured. Natalie Walton, 33, expressed her relief that her five-year-old son emerged relatively unscathed, although he is now suffering from nightmares and has developed a fear of drains.

The hazardous drain was situated on a grassy area outside the family's terraced residence in Ilchester - a popular spot for local children to play. Natalie, who is a youth worker, recounted how her son was fortunate to have sustained only minor bruising and scrapes following the incident last Sunday (June 23).

She said: "It was terrifying. We are very fortunate that he managed to land on a ledge and that it happened when the weather has been good or the drain would have been full."

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She added: "He has nightmares, bless him, and he won't walk on drain covers." The boy reportedly fell into the drain after his seven-year-old friend managed to displace the unsecured manhole cover.

A vigilant neighbour witnessed the fall and swiftly rescued the youngster from the drain. Subsequently, the child was taken to a minor injuries unit in Glastonbury for examination.

Natalie highlighted the additional danger posed by the fact that her son is unable to swim, which could have made a water-filled drain particularly perilous. The issue with the loose cover was reported by Natalie on Monday (June 24), prompting Wessex Water to respond within an hour.

Following an initial inspection of the faulty drain cover, the Wessex Water team left and returned the next day to carry out necessary repairs.

Natalie has expressed her concerns about the near-miss incident and the risk of potentially fatal accidents in the future. She said: "Because it wasn't fatal, I am not being taken seriously."

"There has been no accountability, it shouldn't have happened in the first place." Natalie added, "What are they waiting for, another child to be injured? ".

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “This must have been distressing for the child involved and we’re sorry to hear he was hurt – we wish him a speedy recovery.

“It’s unclear how the cover was damaged, but within an hour of it being reported we were there to investigate and make sure the area was safe. The cover was then repaired the next day to prevent it happening again.”