A GARDENER in his sixties was impaled on a metal fence in an accident.

Firefighters had to cut the 68-year-old man free from the fence which pierced his knee by 4ins.

The man had been gardening at his home, in The Terrace, Benfleet, at 4pm on Friday when he lost his balance and fell backwards.

He landed on the small fence and a metal spike imbedded in the back of his knee.

Firefighters from Rayleigh Weir were at the scene for an hour as they tried to saw the man free from the fence.

Tony Vickress, station officer, said: “It was quite traumatising for him and his wife.

“She was quite tearful.

“It was quite a difficult job.

"We tried to use an electric saw, but it was too bulky, so we then tried a handsaw to remove part of the fence.”

The resident was due to fly to Fuerteventura today on holiday.

Mr Vickress added: “He has a wound the size of a 10p piece.

“As the paramedics were bandaging him up, the spike fell out on its own.

“They flushed it out and packed it up and put him in the ambulance.

“He was taken to hospital, but his injuries weren’t life threatening.

“I think he was quite grateful to us.”

Paramedics took the man to Southend Hospital for treatment.

His family was too upset to speak about the incident.