Health food was almost the death of photographer Neil Barker.

The Burton Mail's deputy chief photographer was sent to cover the opening of Holland and Barrett's new distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent.

He explained:"After sitting through an incredibly tedious and lengthy round of speeches, plus the inevitable plaque-unveiling by the Mayor, I went into the warehouse with an employee, to do some interior shots to show the scale of the place.

"We were walking back from the packing line, through the warehouse with vast amounts of health products in row upon row of racks to my left and a raised mezzanine floor to my right.

"Suddenly, I felt a rush of air past my right ear, very quickly followed by a loud bang as a cardboard box hit the floor just behind me.

"Looking up at the mezzanine, 20ft above, saw an extremely worried girl fearing the worst. Luckily, I'd been walking at the time and thus it missed me by a few inches, otherwise it would have scored a direct hit on my head.

"Knowing my luck, the box would have contained headache tablets, too....

"I must have a guardian angel watching over me, as a similar thing happened some years back when I was walking with a reporter in Swadlincote High Street. It was a very windy day and walking past a building, I felt a rush of air past my ear and another loud bang - an estate agents wooden sign had fallen off a building, narrowly missing me my a few inches again.

"The reporter was looking at me, ashen-faced, saying, "You'll never believe how close that was".

"Now who says we shouldn't get paid danger money, eh?"

Back to the photography index

Do you have a story for us?
Ring the HoldTheFrontPage newsdesk on
01332 291111 x6022, or to e-mail us now - click here