A man is fighting for his life after miraculously surviving a 70-ft plunge from a sixth-storey window.

The 30-year-old was critically injured after he toppled from the window in the block of flats, bounced off a van parked beneath and landed in a car park.

It is believed the injured man had been visiting relatives in the 13-storey D'Arcy Court block of flats in Hendon Road, Sunderland when the accident happened. Police say they are keeping an open mind as to how he came to fall.

The horrific accident happened at around 5pm on Monday. The victim, who is thought to be local, underwent emergency surgery at Sunderland Royal Hospital and remains in intensive care, where last night he was said to be in a stable condition.

D'Arcy Court is owned by the Sunderland Housing Group and is reserved for older residents.

Inspector Graham Lockey of Northumbria Police said: "We are keeping an open mind as to what happened. It is too early to determine the cause at this time and it would be unfair to his family to speculate."

The area was still cordoned off by police today.

Retired bus driver Kevin Lyon, 58, who lives opposite the flats said: "I just heard a police car go straight in front of my house and the next thing I knew they were all there.

"I saw the lad lying on the ground. They weren't rushing around and I presumed he must have died, but then they put a collar on him.

"The air ambulance also came but it couldn't land anywhere. We were told both his legs and arms were broken."

Retired gardener John Merry, 69, lives on the second floor of D'Arcy Court.

He said: "I'd just come from my sister-in-law's house when I saw him on the floor. I saw the paramedics putting a collar around his neck. His head was covered in blood.

"His relations have just moved in to the block."