NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

A man electrocuted himself and caused a huge power outage when he accidentally drilled through a mains electricity cable under his garden.

The DIY accident triggered a major emergency response with two air ambulances sent to the scene.

The man was drilling into the ground outside his house in Swindon, Wiltshire at around 9.40am yesterday when he struck the cable.

He is understood to have suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of sustaining a huge electric shock.

The burned-out drill he was using at the time was later pictured charred in the garden.

Multiple emergency services attended the scene including Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, a BASICS doctor and two ambulance service Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART).

Two fire engines and Wiltshire Police also attended.

Once stabilised the man was transferred to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The incident sparked a localised electricity outage, which was later restored by West and West Utilities.

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