A worker has been rescued from a four meter trench

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A worker has been saved from a trench on a construction site next to the Blackwall Tunnel approach the man was trapped up to his chest.

Specially-trained fire officers battled for six hours to save the man from the trench which collapsed on a construction site next to the Blackwall Tunnel approach on Tuesday.

The trench which was around twelve meters long and four meters deep collapsed trapping the worker up to his chest in sand and clay on the site at Bramshot Avenue in Charlton, where a developer has permission to build nine flats.

The crews methodically excavated and shored up the trench and A 32-metre ladder was deployed to the scene as urban search and rescue officers together with a London Ambulance crew worked for six hours to free the man who was safely extracted and taken to hospital by paramedics.

The London Fire Brigade said in a statement.“Crews worked methodically to extract the trapped man, excavating sad and clay from the trench to increase access,” the London Fire Brigade said in a statement. “As they did this, steps were taken to shore up and stabilise the trench to prevent any further collapse.”

Firefighters from as far away as Bethnal Green attended the scene. Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating.

Planning permission for the site was given in February 2019 the excavation could have been for a test bore as person was given for five-storey block of nine flats on the site, which overlooks the Blackwall Tunnel approach and is next to the northern entrance to the Blackheath rail tunnel. Only one person objected to the proposal and the matter was decided by a planning officer rather than by councillors.