A teenage workman was lifted to safety from a crumbling trench early today - 12 hours after he was buried alive under an avalanche of mud.

It ended a dramatic rescue operation as fire crews and paramedics from across West Yorkshire risked their lives in the 25ft deep trench in Yeadon, which was liable to cave in at any time.

Jed Christie, 18, of Quakers Lane, Rawdon, remained conscious throughout as firefighters desperately used their bare hands and trowels to dig their way to him because of the threat of another mudslide.

His life was saved because a clay boulder lodged itself above him and prevented the full weight of the soil from falling on his body.

The drama began at 4.56pm yesterday when Mr Christie went into the trench in a field off Henshaw Lane to inspect some workings believed to involve drains. A man who was with him raised the alarm and police and fire crews arrived to find him buried.

He was able to say "yes" when asked if he was there, and the full-scale operation was under way immediately.

A doctor and paramedics gave him oxygen, gas and air and a water drip as the painstaking rescue took place.

They also gave him warm drinks as the temperature plummeted during the night and he began to suffer from hypothermia.

The sides of the 3ft wide trench were constantly shored up, but at 2am the rescuers had to get out because a one and a half inch wide crack appeared in the wall.

The smallest possible team was kept in the trench until Jed, who was wearing only a T-shirt and jeans, was finally lifted to a waiting ambulance at 5am.

The South Yorkshire Mine Rescue Team and a civil engineer had been drafted in to advise on the rescue and unstable trench conditions.

In the end Jed remained firmly trapped by his legs, even though his upper half was free.

The rescuers then faced the dilemma of whether to continue with the painfully slow unearthing process in highly dangerous conditions - or to pull him out and risk causing further injuries. But a decision was taken to wrench him free and pull him to the surface after his condition began to deteriorate.

He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where he was treated for a broken leg, shock and hypothermia.

Jed's family were there throughout the night and his parents stayed in the waiting ambulance where they were given minute-by-minute reports.

After the rescue Mike Ferguson, West Yorkshire Ambulance Service duty officer, said: "His upper body was free. His left leg was not visible. The fire service had uncovered his right leg right down to the boot.

He came out like a cork from a bottle when the decision was taken to pull him out.

"I am very proud indeed of the work of the paramedics.

Station officer Richard Moxon, of Rawdon fire station, added: "Trench collapses are very few and far between. This was horrendous.

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