A MAN is fighting for his life after he survived a 70ft fall from a sixth-storey window.

The 30-year-old was critically injured after he fell from the window in the block of flats and hit a van parked beneath.

It is believed the man had been visiting relatives in the 13-storey D'Arcy Court block of flats in Hendon Road, Sunderland, when the accident happened.

Police said they were keeping an open mind over how he fell.

The accident happened at about 5pm on Monday. The victim, who is thought to be local, underwent surgery at Sunderland Royal Hospital and remains in intensive care, where he was last night 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 yesterday.

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 were not rushing around and I presumed he must have died, but then they put a collar on him.

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