A DOZEN firemen were called in to rescue a builder who hurt his back in a fall while working on the new Homebase store in Haydon Wick.

The 23-year-old man was fixing metal decking on the unfinished building when the accident happened just before 11am yesterday.

He fell just two feet into a safety net but jarred his back and because of his difficult position the fire brigade was forced to use a hydraulic platform to reach him.

Shoppers at the Asda Walmart store, facing the building site, watched as fire crew rescued the man.

The man, who was not named, was placed on a special scoop stretcher to protect his spine.

The special platform came from Swindon Fire Station and another two engines from Westlea and Stratton also attended the scene.

Station commander Peter Townsend said: "It was a fairly routine procedure but the man was in a lot of pain.

"We took all the appropriate measures to avoid any further back injury."

More than a dozen officers helped to carry out the rescue operation, which took less than an hour to complete.

Mr Townsend said: "We gave the man painkillers to ease his discomfort. It was an efficient and successful rescue."

The man was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital and is believed to have discharged himself later yesterday.

A spokesman for Birse Construction, which is in charge of the site, refused to comment on the incident but said that workers will be off the site by October.

Homebase is one of 17 units being built at the Orbital Shopping Park. Other big name retailers include Comet, Next and JJB Sports. It will replace the store's current branch at Greenbridge.

The £53 million development will be complete in October, bringing hundreds of jobs to the area. Shops in the park, measuring 200,000 square feet, are expected to open by Christmas.