Witnesses horror after seeing man plunge 80ft from balcony at Westfield Stratford City and land on unsuspecting shopper

Both people are reported to have suffered serious injuries and were taken to the Royal London Hospital in east London

Witnesses have described their horror after they saw a man plunge 80ft from a balcony at Westfield Stratford City and land on a passerby walking beneath.

Emergency services were called to the scene in east London not long after 3.30pm yesterday following reports that a man had fallen on a pedestrian walking beneath.

Both people are reported to have suffered serious injuries and were taken to the Royal London Hospital in east London.

The man who fell is believed to have suffered leg and pelvic injuries, while the man who was hit suffered head injuries and had back and side pain.

Police said no arrests were made.

Stunned shoppers described watching in horror as the man fell over a railing and plunged to the bottom floor hitting the unsuspecting shopper, who took the brunt of the impact, outside the Party Fiesta store in The Arcade section of the shopping centre.

Shop assistant Anthony Francis, 45, told the Evening Standard newspaper: “There are so many families in this part of the centre, mothers walking with prams and pushchairs.

“I just thank god it wasn’t any of them who got hit or a child. If it had been a new-born child, they wouldn’t have survived.

“The guy walking underneath took the impact from the guy falling – if it wasn’t for him he would be dead.

“I feel like I’m still in shock from the situation. You just don’t expect that to happen to anybody.”

A staff member at the Krispy Kreme counter, who also witnessed the incident told the Evening Standard: “There was a man hanging from the balcony and then he just dropped right on top of another guy who was walking along.

“The reaction from the other shoppers was just one of shock. There was no screaming – just an eerie silence.

“A couple of people ran over to him, including my supervisor and some first aiders came down too, then the ambulance arrived. It was just shocking.”

London Ambulance Service attended the scene. A spokeswoman said: “We sent two ambulance crews, two single responders in cars, a duty officer and a team from London’s Air Ambulance in a car to the scene.

“Our staff treated two patients - both men. The first - who fell from a height - had leg and pelvic injuries.

“The second had a head injury and back pain. Both were taken to the Royal London Hospital.”