Boy, 17, warns teenagers to be more sensible after falling 30ft onto rocks at Queensferry Crossing

A teenager has warned other young people to be more sensible after he fell 30 feet onto rocks beneath the Queensferry crossing when climbing at night.

Lewis Young, 17, sustained several fractures and may need surgery after the accident on Saturday July 25.

Lewis was camping with friends near the Fife side of the crossing when some of his companions decided to climb the cliffs beneath the bridge.

He managed to scale the cliff around 10.30pm, but when he tried to get down again he lost his footing and fell.

Friends called the emergency services, and the Scottish Ambulance Service, lifeboats from South Queensferry and Kinghorn and a Coastguard helicopter were rushed to the scene.

The rescue operation was particularly challenging due to the terrain, but after the helicopter managed to land Lewis was airlifted to the ERI.

“He’s lucky to be here, he’s lucky to be alive and with us, because obviously it could have been a different scenario that we were having to go through,” said his mother Anne-Marie Young, 39, who found out about the accident from one of Lewis’ friends.

“It was horrendous. My heart sank, and I felt sick to the stomach,” she said.

She and Lewis’ father, David Young, feared for Lewis’ life when they heard what had happened.

Lewis sustained several injuries, including two fractures to the head, a nose fracture and a wrist fracture which may require surgery.

He did not suffer and head trauma or spinal fractures.

“It’s going to be a long process of recovery for him, it’s not just going to be one of those overnights where everything just fixes itself. I’m just making sure he gets plenty of rest and is relaxing and taking his time so his body can get better,” said Ms Young.

Lewis had been due to begin a construction course at college in September, but this may need to be delayed due to his injuries.

“I’m in a little pain but I’m recovering well, I’m on a good track to recovery,” said Lewis.

“I missed my footing as I was trying to climb back down and I slipped off the rock. It was horrible, it was a big shock.

“Other people were already sat on the rock so I thought I would try and get a better view up top. I got up to the very top but then I didn’t like it so I tried to climb back down, and as soon as I tried to climb back down I just fell.”

Lewis warned other youngsters not to make similar mistakes when out with friends.

“Don’t camp near the seaside, and avoid going near rocks, especially in the dark,” he said.

“It was just me being me, trying to climb, I thought I could do it by myself. I had no grip on my shoes and I didn’t have the right gear on.”

“It’s something that he really shouldn’t have been doing, but you know, I think if other people are doing it you can be easily influenced into thinking it sounds like a good idea,” said Ms Young.

"It’s just silly to think kids would do this nowadays, for adrenaline or whatever, it’s just not worth it.”

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