The parents of a City worker left fighting for life after being hit by a falling telegraph pole in high winds today said he is a “fighter” and they are praying for him to pull through.
Nick Fletcher, 27, was yards from home in Wandsworth, south London on Monday evening when strong winds of up to 50mph brought down the telegraph pole.
Witnesses told how Mr Fletcher, a shipbroker with brokerage firm Icap, was knocked unconscious and left bleeding heavily. He was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting where he remains in a critical but stable condition.
Speaking at their home in Sevenoaks in Kent, Anne and Philip Fletcher described their son as “the nicest guy you could ever meet.”
Mrs Fletcher said: “We are all devastated. We are concentrating on his condition rather than how this happened.
“He is such a lovely boy and has so many friends. He is a strong person and a fighter. We are praying that he pulls through. If anyone can he can. The hospital have been fantastic and the staff are doing all they can. We just have to keep hoping.”
Mr Fletcher added that his son, an amateur rugby player with London Cornish RFC, “absolutely loves his sport.”
The family had been preparing to celebrate Mr Fletcher senior’s 63rd birthday on the day of the freak accident. They have been keeping a vigil at Nick’s bedside since.
Friends told how Mr Fletcher was enjoying his job as a shipbroker, which he started less than a year ago. He had also recently purchased a two-bedroom flat on Spanish Road, where the telegraph pole came down, and was still in the process of moving in.
London Cornish’s director of rugby and head coach Dickon Moon said: “Everyone at the club wishes him well. He’s a top bloke and is very well liked. We are waiting for news of his condition like everyone. His family are probably keeping those details close to their chests, which I absolutely understand given what has happened.”
A schoolfriend of Mr Fletcher described him as a “very-determined” individual and a talented sportsman.
He said: “I used to play in the football team with him at school. Nick was always into sports, football, rugby, cricket. He’s a great guy. You won’t find anyone with a bad word to say about him.
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“We have a very close friendship group from school and we’re all in shock. There have been lots of messages of support for him and his family and we’re all hoping he pulls through.”
An Icap spokeswoman said: “Our thoughts are with Nick and his family. We wish him a full and speedy recovery.”
A Wandsworth Council said maintenance of the structure was the responsibility of British Telecom.
A BT spokesman said: “We are sorry to hear of this incident and our thoughts are with the man who was injured last night. We have launched an investigation.”
A joint police and Health and Safety Executive investigation has been launched.
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