A COBBLER who broke his neck when he fell down the stairs has returned to work early - as he was facing financial ruin.

Declan Doyle has run The Sole Man, a well-known shoe repair shop and key cutters in Church Street, York, for the last 10 years.

But in July the 59-year-old's life was thrown upside down by a horrific accident.

Declan got up to go to the toilet in the middle of the night and fell down the stairs, breaking his neck and three vertebrae. He spent three months in hospital and was forced to close his shop for more than three months.

Now he has struggled back to work - despite still wearing a neck brace and feeding himself through a straw - in a bid to keep his business afloat.

Declan said: “I had no income for three months and after paying for the lease I had been left close to financial ruin.

“We were surviving from my wife’s part time job but it became quite stressful and felt like we could have gone under. I decided to come back to work early to try get some income and serve people in York.

"I should have stayed off longer but I really couldn’t afford to. Business has picked up but a lot of customers I have still don’t realise I have returned.”

Declan is back commuting to York every day from his home in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

He said: “I spent five weeks in a halo brace at Nottingham Hospital, before another two months at Lincolnshire Hospital. It's been awful, especially because I had no loss of earnings insurance so getting back to work has been a priority. I signed a new lease in the spring so I am here to stay."

Declan said work had been tough, particularly in a neck brace.

“I had to feed myself through a tube and I had no place to store water in my shop. Thankfully, the kind members of the Traditional Sweet Shop provided me with food and drink and have been so helpful with me getting back on my feet.”

Gina Varley, who works at The Traditional Sweet Shop, said: “It's good to have him back. We were worried about him, he is such an integral member of the street. He comes for some water and food to fill up his food bag but the doctors have recently said he’s able to have cup of tea again so he pops over regularly now for one.”

Declan, who lost more than three stone while in hospital, said that at the moment only about half of his regular customers know that he has returned.

He said: “Some people are shocked when they pass by and see the light is back on. A lot have returned with cards and gifts.”

James Waggott, who runs the Antique Centre in Stonegate, said he couldn’t believe what had happened to Declan.

He said: “I used to visit him regularly as, like my store, it’s imperative that independent stores remain as a beacon of the high street.

“He’s one of the good guys in this industry, working hard to please his customers. I hope we can help carry on this business for years to come.”