Clock-fixer in tower plunge

A man plunged from the roof of a Shropshire town hall today after he discovered the body of another man inside the clock tower.

The injured man, who has been named by locals as Ron Davies, is part of the clock maintenance team and had climbed up to fix the clock at Bishop's Castle Town Hall after noticing it was telling the wrong time, eyewitnesses claimed.

Mr Davies, 63, who is the owner of the ironmongers, EC Davies and Son, was rushed to hospital after the fall.

His injuries are not thought to be life threatening and the identity of the dead man is not yet known. An investigation has been launched.

Witnesses said the clock stopped shortly before 11am today and Mr Davies was called out as one of the people on the maintenance rota. It is believed he found the body of the man inside the clock tower.

Witnesses said Mr Davies's wife was called at work to inform her of her husband's accident.

The Midlands Air Ambulance was scrambled to the scene but was stood down. An ambulance and a fast response team were also called to the scene following the accident.

A police investigation was under way and forensic teams were at the scene this afternoon.

Maria Hawkaluk, spokeswoman for Shropshire police division, said: "Police were called to the town hall in Bishop's Castle shortly before 11am today following reports a man had been found dead.

"The death is being treated as unexplained at this time and the coroner for South Shropshire, Mr Anthony Sibcy, has been informed."

Suzie Fothergill, spokeswoman for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "We were in attendance at an incident in Bishop's Castle today. An ambulance, a fast responder and the air ambulance from Cosford were called.

"We were called to reports of a male who had fallen. We took a man to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital."

Mayor of Bishop's Castle, Keith Pinches said the incident was "very sad".

He said the drama unfolded when it was suspected burglars had broken into the town hall.

One resident in the town, who did not want to be named, said Mr Davies was a "very nice man".

By Kirsty Smallman and Hannah Costigan