A NEW arrival in a Herefordshire village accidentally introduced himself by dropping in on the neighbours - from a 30ft roof. But such was the community's response to Derek Midgley's misfortune he has set up an annual prize in gratitude for their touching support.

Painter decorator Derek and his family had just arrived in the village of Whitney-on-Wye from Cardigan in west Wales, when he began an exterior painting job on the agent's house, owned by Tim and Emma Rawlins.

He was rubbing back weathered roofing boards from a ladder that was positioned on a scaffolding tower when without warning the whole thing collapsed sending him first into the side of the house before he free-fell on to the damp concrete below.

Derek remembers nothing of the fall but the noise of his horror plunge disturbed Mrs Rawlins inside. She found him unconscious and barely alive among the debris of the collapsed scaffolding.

He had suffered a fractured skull, a shattered wrist and elbow and a broken spine in the fall. He was attended first by local nurse Gwen Phillips, whose expert action is credited with Derek being able to walk today.

The Air Ambulance was called as the local community swung into action to prevent Derek's nine-year-old daughter Rebecca and wife Cassy from happening upon the distressing scene.

Rebecca, at home just minutes away, was taken by Tim Rawlins to look at the helicopter as paramedics prepared her father for the mercy flight to Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham.

"During and after the day of the fall, the way people in Whitney rallied around us has been absolutely unbelievable. People we never even knew like Reverend Jennifer Pollock have been around to make sure Cassy is all right," said Derek. "People have stopped her in the street to ask after me, and the owner of the estate, Augustine Hope, has telephoned from New York to check on my condition."

In gratitude to the people of Whitney, Derek Midgley has created an annual raffle to raise funds for Air Ambulance and Whitney church. The winner will have a room of their choice decorated to their own specifications.

Derek is now convalescing back in Whitney after a series of operations to reconstruct his elbow, put a steel plate in his wrist and have two titanium rods placed in his spine at Birmingham's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.

Amazingly he plans to be back at work and completing the Rawlins' job by April.

"I have no fears of going back there at all. I've always said I'm not afraid of heights, just the fall. It's this kind of work that I really like and I'm good at my job. The Rawlins' told me when they visited me in hospital that even if it took two years they would wait for me to finish the job.

"My New Year's resolution is to be a lot more careful. Everything is going to be done properly, I'm not going to take any chances. I've now got Cassy's son as an employee and there's no way I could have an accident like this happening to someone else on my conscience."

"I'm going to enjoy life. I've often thought about it but now I'm going to save up and buy a narrow boat and enjoy my weekends in solitude."