A MAN who had to be cut free from a wall cavity after bcoming trapped had trespassed onto the building site. 

As previously reported on The Gazette website, firefighters from Basingstoke and Tadley fire stations were called to the site in Chapel Hill, off Kingsclere Road, at 1.33pm on Monday.

Buildings on the former Eli Lilly site in Houndmills, near Basingstoke Railway Station, are currently being demolished to make way for Sentinel Housing and Barratt David Wilson’s 578 home development.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters spent around an hour at the incident freeing the trapped man, before treating him at the scene and handing his care over to South Central Ambulance Service.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said a response team was sent to the incident, but it was not needed as the man did not suffer any injuries.

Basingstoke fire station posted a Tweet saying: “Called out to help a gent trapped in a very precarious position on a site being demolished.”

Mike Shepherd, development and regeneration director for Sentinel Housing Association, based in Kingsclere Road, Houndmills, said the man had trespassed onto the site and became trapped in one of the buildings being demolished.

He added: “He was successfully rescued by the emergency services and needed no medical treatment.

“Following his rescue he was arrested for trespass and theft.

“The site contractor’s safety director carried out a full report and confirmed that as this is not a work place accident it’s not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive because the man was trespassing.

“It is our intention to press charges against the trespasser.”

He warned the public of the dangers of entering building sites, adding: “We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that building sites can be very dangerous and should not be accessed by any members of the public.”

Hampshire Constabulary confirmed that it was called to the site at 2pm on Monday and police arrested a 64-year-old man from Basingstoke on suspicion of non-dwelling burglary.

He was later released with no further action.