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Stuffed toy foxes 'saved my life' Stuffed toy foxes 'saved my life'
(30 minutes later)
A Tory MP has told how a bag of stuffed toys saved his life after he fell 20 feet down a hole while in China.A Tory MP has told how a bag of stuffed toys saved his life after he fell 20 feet down a hole while in China.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for Cotswold, stepped off a ramp outside a hotel in Beijing only to find himself falling down a concrete shaft. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for the Cotswolds, stepped off a ramp outside a hotel in Beijing only to find himself falling down a concrete shaft.
But the stuffed toy foxes, given to him by a Chinese internet firm, cushioned his fall and he escaped serious injury.But the stuffed toy foxes, given to him by a Chinese internet firm, cushioned his fall and he escaped serious injury.
"I took this huge bag of stuffed foxes and by pure luck it literally saved my life," he told the BBC."I took this huge bag of stuffed foxes and by pure luck it literally saved my life," he told the BBC.
Lucky mascotLucky mascot
He recounted the experience after mentioning it during a Parliamentary debate on British firms doing business in China.He recounted the experience after mentioning it during a Parliamentary debate on British firms doing business in China.
The MP said he had considered throwing the toys - used by the firm as a mascot - away but decided to keep them for his family.The MP said he had considered throwing the toys - used by the firm as a mascot - away but decided to keep them for his family.
As it turned out, they saved him from serious injury as he landed abruptly on the concrete floor.As it turned out, they saved him from serious injury as he landed abruptly on the concrete floor.
"It is amazing the thoughts that go through your head when you are in freefall," he said."It is amazing the thoughts that go through your head when you are in freefall," he said.
"Finally the crunch came 20 feet down this sheer concrete shaft with a concrete floor."Finally the crunch came 20 feet down this sheer concrete shaft with a concrete floor.
"I blinked and thought well I'm still alive and found I hadn't broken anything.""I blinked and thought well I'm still alive and found I hadn't broken anything."
Despite the scare, Mr Clifton-Brown plans to return to China on another trade mission in four weeks time.Despite the scare, Mr Clifton-Brown plans to return to China on another trade mission in four weeks time.