UPDATE: Sleaford town centre 'gridlocked' while emergency services assist elderly man who fell into road

A Lincolnshire Police spokeswoman said: "Sleaford town centre is currently experiencing gridlocked traffic - this is due to a person having fallen on Southgate.

"Please avoid the area and find an alternative route whilst the emergency services deal."

The incident happened at about 11.53am outside Clarks shoe shop as the man stepped into the road to cross, according to Newton Fallowell mortgage adviser Nicola Swalwell who was at her desk in the office close by at the time.

She said her colleague Lee first saw what happened and they all leapt up to give assistance, as did many other local businesses and passers-by.

She said: “An elderly man just stepped into the road and fell face down onto the middle of the road, mostly hurting his face. Luckily he wasn’t hit by any vehicles as he had waited for a gap in the traffic.”

Nicola said: “Medics seemed to just appear out of nowhere. There was a student nurse, another nurse, a healthcare worker, an off-duty paramedic, an off-duty policeman as well as St John’s Ambulance volunteers all willing to help.

“We brought our coats out to cover him up, the ladies at Enhance beauty salon brought some towels and Appetites sandwich shop brought hand towels.”

Nicola was amazed so many health professionals were on hand to help.

She said the man was losing consciousness but police and ambulance crews were on the scene extremely quickly and took him to hospital with injuries not thought too serious, according to police.

Drivers were diverted away from Southgate while others queueing turned around to take an alternative route if possible.

The road was cleared after about half an hour.