A MAN miraculously survived being buried alive after a hole he had dug in search of antique bottles caved in.

Clive Turner, 62, is an avid antique bottle collector and had gone to Fitzwilliam Street, Elsecar, on Monday to dig for Victorian codd bottles.

Bottle digging is the practice of locating and excavating old rubbish dumps with the intention of discovering objects which have potential value as collectibles or antiques.

Clive went to the site behind the Milton Arms and began digging, along with his friend Mick. He had dug around 10ft when the trench collapsed.

His friend, Roger Keddy, 62, of South Lea Drive, Hoyland, frantically began to try and dig Clive out of the hole.

Roger told the Chronicle he couldn’t quite comprehend when Mick told him Clive was ‘buried’.

“Mick was standing there and I asked where Clive was, he loves fish and chips, so I began asking if that’s where he had gone, but Mick kept saying Clive was buried.

“I didn’t understand what he meant at first but then I looked and realised the same hole Clive had been digging was now full of dirt. I picked up the shovel and began digging.”

While Roger dug, the emergency services were called who were on the scene within minutes.

Roger said: “Clive had dug a hole which was at least 10ft deep. I just kept digging and the relief when I reached his face is just indescribable. We had to bring him round a bit and keep him talking and I just continued to dig.

“I felt bad because I did hit his head digging him out, but I was relieved to have found his head in the first place.

“When the emergency services arrived I had dug to around his waist. The fire service had to lower a ladder down so I could climb out because there was no way of getting out the hole without assistance.”

Roger said he had known Clive for more than 30 years, and had chatted to him earlier before the collapse.

“We are both part of a wildlife group so when I saw his van I went over to say hello.

“Clive is known to travel around different areas digging for glass bottles so it wasn’t unusual to see him digging. After I had spoken to him I went for a walk and when I was leaving, I thought I’d return and see how they were getting on.”

Roger returned to find Mick stood panicking and Clive nowhere to be seen.

“The emergency services were phenomenal. They secured the hole and worked hard to get Clive out as quickly and as safely as possible. I can’t thank them enough for the work they did.”

A spokesperson from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “Emergency services were called at 12.50pm following reports that a man had fallen down a collapsed trench. The victim, a 62-year-old man, had been out with two friends digging for glass bottles when he had become trapped.

“Two fire crews from Tankersley and Dearne attended the scene in addition to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, the ambulance and the police.

“When they arrived the man was buried, with only his head and shoulders visible.

“We stabilised the hole before digging the man and finally using a wire to pull him to safety and he was taken to hospital via ambulance.”