A STAGEHAND is recovering in hospital after falling 20ft from scenery at The Mayflower theatre in Southampton.

The 30-year-old crew member was working at the theatre and was taken down the set from the Welsh National Opera's production of Carmen when the accident happened.

It is thought the man fell from the top of a screen after the show ended and while the set was being taking down in preparation for the following night's production of Khovanshchina by the same company.

Police and paramedics were called to the Commercial Road theatre just after 10.30pm on Friday. The man who has not been identified was given emergency treatment at the scene before being taken to Southampton General Hospital to assess his injuries which were suspected to be spinal.

Saturday's production of Khovanshchina, which was the company's final performance of the five-night run in the city, went ahead as planned.

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