A MAN who allegedly threatened a woman at knifepoint is in hospital today after plunging 25ft down an embankment while fleeing the scene.
The 37-year-old had to be rescued after he tumbled down the steep slope in the High Shore area of Macduff.
It is understood he fled after allegedly threatening a woman with a blade and being reported to police. The man fell 25ft and ended up wedged between the bottom of the hill and an outbuilding.
The incident happened about 7pm on Monday.
Officers and paramedics had to break through the door and the back of the building reach the man after his fall.
Neighbours described hearing a lot of shouting before the police broke through the garage to reach him. And residents said the area where he was trapped was “not big enough to swing a cat in”.
The woman at the centre of the drama said the man, who was seriously injured in the fall, had been in her house and threatened her with a knife before taking off.
She said he had been high on drugs.
“The police have spent the day questioning me and everyone else on the street and looking for his knife and drugs,” she said.
“They kept asking about other people being involved but it was just him.”
Police remained in the area for most of yesterday carrying out door-to-door inquiries to try to piece together the events.
A large incident-support van remained parked at High Shore while officers continued to search the area around the outbuilding. Its door was propped up after police broke it down the previous evening.
A police spokeswoman said: “We responded to an incident in which a 37-year-old male fell around 25ft down an embankment in the High Shore area of Macduff at around 7pm on Monday.
“He sustained hip, pelvis and back injuries in the fall and was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary by road ambulance for treatment. Officers are currently working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“No one has been charged at this point.”
She refused to confirm if a knife or drugs had been involved or if the man had been chased by officers before he fell.
An ambulance spokesman said: “We received a call from police around 7.55pm on Monday to reports of a man having fallen quite a distance down a hill in Macduff.
“We took him to ARI, where he was treated for a number of injuries.”
A spokesman for the fire service confirmed crews had attended to provide support and lighting.
A large section of Moray Street, Wards Lane and High Shore was cordoned off with police tape for much of yesterday, with the public being denied access until the afternoon.
Troup councillor Hamish Partridge, who represents Macduff, said he had been “shocked” to hear what had happened.
He said: “Thankfully, incidents like this are rare in Macduff. However, locals will no doubt be concerned.
“I am shocked to hear that something like this has happened and I’m glad the police are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it.”