A YOUNG clubber was seriously injured when he plunged from a balcony onto a packed dance floor in one of York's top night spots.

Hundreds of onlookers watched in horror as the 21-year-old local man survived a drop of more than 20ft in The Gallery nightclub.

Police said they were still investigating the incident, which happened during the early hours of Saturday morning, but there were no suspicious circumstances. They said early indications seemed to show that he had fallen.

It is not known how he fell over the safety barrier, which is several feet high and runs the length of the balcony.

Hundreds of revellers who had been in the venue on Friday night had to leave their names and addresses for detectives as they left the club. It remained open for business as usual for the rest of the weekend.

A York Police spokesman said: "We were initially called at just past midnight to The Gallery nightclub. It appears at this stage that a male has fallen from the balcony on to a dance floor.

"Initially his injuries appeared serious so the scene was preserved by officers.

"Details were taken from witnesses as people left the club but there did not appear to be any suspicious circumstances."

The man was taken to York Hospital by ambulance. He remained in intensive care yesterday, but his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening.

The spokesman said: "It is being investigated because it is not yet that clear what happened and we will need to speak to him once he is well enough to talk to us."

A spokesman for Luminar Leisure, which owns the Gallery, said: "A 21-year-old man is currently still in hospital after he fell from the balcony. The venue manager was called to the dance floor, which we closed off. We called the police and ambulance service immediately and the area of the balcony which he fell from was also cleared and cordoned off.

"We took advice from the police, who told us there was no need to close the venue. But we took the names and addresses of every customer who left the club that night, as requested by the police."

He said the company's internal health and safety team had been informed of the incident.

He said: "Obviously the circumstances of why he fell over are still being investigated, and they will be investigated further once we are able to speak to the gentleman about what happened. Police advised us that it was not a crime scene and removed the incident tape around the area. As with all incidents of this nature there will be an internal investigation but there is nothing to suggest that the club was in any way at fault."


Dangers of drink campaign

THE shocking scenes at The Gallery come as the Government' has launched an alcohol awareness campaign, showing young adults the possibly tragic consequences of excess drinking.

A TV commercial depicts a masked man in a super-hero costume scaling high scaffolding to rescue balloons lost by a hen party.

Only when he slips and falls is the character revealed to be an ordinary man who had been charged with "Dutch courage" by alcohol, as he lies twitching, twisted and paralysed on the ground.

The £4 million "Know Your Limits" promotion was launched last month with adverts showing binge drinkers becoming the victim of horrifying accidents, rapes and beatings.