A Grantham Councillor and campaigner has praised A&E staff after injuring his back in a fall from a ladder.

Lincolnshire County Council and South Kesteven District Councillor Ray Wootten was cutting his hedge with a long pole and six foot ladder on Wednesday when he lost his balance.

He fell on his back and side, narrowly missing hitting the curb on his drive with his head. He was taken to the accident and emergency by wife and fellow councillor Linda Wootten where he was X-rayed six times.

"Linda took me down there rather than going to Lincoln because it's too far away to travel — why go to Lincoln when you have a hospital on your doorstep?"

"Luckily nothing was broken, just badly bruised," he said. "Our fantastic staff treated me with respect and were dedicated in their work."

However, he said while he was there staff mentioned to him that the department had recently been busier than both Lincoln and Boston.

"Lots of people were coming in up to the 6.30pm closure time like a swarm of bees," he said.

This isn't the first time Councillor Wootten has needed the department having suffered a heart attack five years ago.

"It's a service that we need, I'm passionate about that."

"I still think it's got a good future. I support Jody [Clark's, Fighting 4 Grantham Hospital campaigner] call for a new hospital but I think that ultimately they need to invest money in Grantham."

Councillor Wootten was in A&E for around five-and-a-half hours and is now resting at home with medication.

"I'm sitting down and I can stand up, but it's like a sharp knife in my side," he said.

He had hoped to attend Lincolnshire Police and Crime Panel at East Lindsey on Friday, but sadly had to miss it, along with another South Kesteven meeting on Thursday.

Jody Clark said she was "pleased" Councillor Wootten got the help he needed "yet again, from our awesome Grantham Hospital".

"It does not surprise me that our A&E saw more patients than the other sites," she said.

"It absolutely proves that we need 24hr A&E in Grantham. I hope Ray is recovering well."

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has been asked for comment.