A man who fell from a balcony at Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre is said to be fighting for his life. Hundreds of stunned shoppers watched the man in his forties leap over the second floor balcony and plummet 60ft on Saturday (24 July).

The area was evacuated as emergency services attended to the unidentified man in chaotic scenes that bystanders described as resembling a "riot".

More from IBTimes UK

In a statement a spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: "A man remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital today after falling from an upper level of the Bullring.

"Officers were alerted to the medical emergency just after 4pm [BST] yesterday following a call from the ambulance service. Security staff tended to the man – believed to be in his 40s – along with police officers and three off-duty doctors before ambulance staff arrived.

"Additional medical support came with the landing of the air ambulance minutes later."

Shopper Jamie Taylor, 35, from Smethwick, told Mail Online: "'I just heard screaming and looked round and everyone was looking down at the floor outside Debenhams.

"I asked a woman what the hell had just happened and she said a bloke in his 30s walked over to the balcony, looked side to side and just vaulted over the top. It was horrific. There were loads of people who saw what happened. If he survived it would be a miracle, it was just so shocking."

Members of the public turned to social media to share their distress at the shocking incident.

A spokesperson for the Bullring said: "We can confirm there was an incident at the centre this afternoon.

"Medical assistance was called immediately and the male in question has been taken to hospital by the emergency services for further medical attention."

West Midlands Police confirmed there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Samaritans provides a free support service for those who need to talk to someone in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Contact them via Samaritans.org or by calling 116 123 (UK) or 116 123 (ROI), 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.