AN eight-year-old boy was in intensive care today after suffering serious head injuries when he plunged 30 feet down a cliff into a river.

Craig Brereton was playing with friends in the Lower Manor Lane area of Burnley when he fell over the vertical drop.

He landed with his feet in the water and his head on a stone slab at the edge of the water and was rescued by firefighters and ambulance crews after they were alerted by the youngsters.

Because of the difficulties of getting him back up the cliff they carried him across the knee deep water to an ambulance waiting on the other side.

The air ambulance and the fire and rescue service rope team were called but then cancelled as their services were not needed.

Craig, of Thirlmere Avenue, was taken to Burnley General Hospital suffering from a head injury and at 10pm last night was transferred to Alder Hey Hospital.

His mum, Patricia, was with him and his condition was today described as stable.

The emergency services were alerted shortly after 3pm yesterday.

Fire and rescue Service Sub Officer Peter Latham said: "When we got there we saw the young lad bleeding from a head wound at the foot of a 25-30 feet vertical drop. "We managed to scramble down to him. He was still conscious but distressed. One of the firefighters kept him talking to try to re-assure him and then the ambulance service took over."

Craig was placed on a spinal board and then carried across Pendle Water to Duck Pits Lane to a waiting ambulance.

Mr Latham said: "The river there is usually quite fast flowing. Fortunately on this occasion it was only knee deep. We walked up the river for about 30 yards and then crossed over diagonally.

"By this time the boy was looking quite poorly.

"When we arrived at the ambulance he mum had been brought down in a fire engine and she went with him to hospital."

Mr Latham added: "It seems the boy was with a group of other other children and a young adult woman. Naturally they were quite upset."

Burnley ambulance operations manager Gordon Rolfe commented: "It was a difficult job because of the bad access. We worked with the fire service and police and it was a tremendous team effort."

Craig's family was at his bedside today an unavailable for comment.