Man impaled on fence in freak bus stop accident in Islington

Jesse Atta-Hayford, 29, fell onto a metal fence while collecting a bottle from a bus stop roof
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Lydia Chantler-Hicks22 November 2023

A man was impaled on a fence while trying to jump down from a bus stop, in a freak accident in north London.

Jesse Atta-Hayford, 29, had been playing a game of tug-of-war with a plastic bottle on September 1 with longtime friend Ron Lala, when it flipped onto the flat roof of a bus stop by Islington Green in Angel.

But after climbing up to retrieve it, Mr Atta-Hayford, from Enfield, fell onto a metal railing bordering the green - rupturing his colon and intestines, and leaving him with severe internal bleeding.

"The bottle flicked up and somehow landed on the bus stop," Mr Lala told The Standard. "I was like 'just leave it, it's fine', but Jesse was like 'no, I don't want to litter'.

"He went up there, picks up the stupid bottle, and he's like 'OK I'm going to come down now'.

"There's a gap he tried to land in. He missed the gap, and landed on the fence instead."

Mr Atta-Hayford's accident happened at a bus stop by Islington Green
Ron Lala

Mr Atta-Hayford quickly lifted himself off the fence and jumped to the ground, initially unaware of the severity of his injury.

"We were laughing at that point - we didn't know the fence had gone in him," said Mr Lala. "Jesse was giggling a bit like 'I'm an idiot - why was I was up there?'

"Then he started going limp, his eyes rolling back, and he was like 'I'm just going to lay here a bit, I'm just going to take a nap'.

"I tried to lift him but his hand was going limp. At that point he couldn't even say words to me."

Unbeknown to him, the fence had impaled Mr Atta-Hayford in the groin area, causing catastrophic damage to his organs.

Ron Lala visiting Jesse Atta-Hayford in hospital
Ron Lala

He was rushed to the Royal London Hospital in east London, where he underwent major surgery and a blood transfusion, and spent four weeks in an induced coma.

More than seven weeks later he remains in hospital, and is unable to walk without an aid. He has undergone at least 12 operations, including being fitted with a temporary stoma.

"He was very lucky to survive the injuries," said Mr Lala. "He is lucky to be alive.

"He ruptured his intestines and colon, and the vein leading to the legs which essentially helps you walk and also provides oxygen via blood to the spine."

Jesse Atta-Hayford and Ron Lala, pictured before the accident
Ron Lala

Mr Atta-Hayford, who works as an actor and creative, is unable to work and has been left him without income following the accident.

"It's going to take around six months before he can walk without crutches," said Mr Lala. "He's on a zimmer frame right now. Essentially he's trying to learn to walk again."

Mr Lala has launched a Gofundme page in hope of raising money to support his "bubbly, selfless" friend on his "tough road to recovery".

"He's shown immense strength and resilience," Mr Lala wrote on the fundraising page.

"Our goal is to ease the burden he's facing and ensure he can focus on healing and regaining his strength. Jesse's determination and fighting spirit inspire us all."

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