Man hospitalised after being hit by falling 'under the weather' NHS sign dislodged by gales

A man was taken to hospital with head injuries after violent winds ripped a large advertising hoarding from the side of a building and brought it crashing down on top of him.

Shoppers rushed to the injured man's aid after the solid wooden board was blown down in Fosse Road North, Leicester, at about 3.50pm on Wednesday. The heavy 15ft x 30ft NHS sign, which advises people to see their GP if they are feeling "under the weather", was brought down by gales which reached 59mph.



First aider Nick Pridden was at the scene when the hoarding fell and said the man, believed to be between 40 and 50, was left conscious but dazed. "He'd gone into the chemist to tell them the sign was flapping about and came out to look at it with the owner," said Mr Pridden.

"As the two of them were standing there it came down and hit him – it missed her by inches. She was very shaken afterwards and very lucky, too. He had a nasty gash on his head and was treated by paramedics and taken to the Leicester Royal Infirmary." No information about the man's condition has been released.