Shocking footage has captured the terrifying moment a toddler fell six feet into a manhole in the West Midlands.

Dad Steven Pearce, who was sitting in the garden, had just warned his daughter not to wander past the drain when, in an instant, she vanished underground.

In a split second, Steven leapt from his seat and sprinted towards the manhole, moving “faster than Usain Bolt,” urgently calling for his three-year-old daughter, Anastasia.

In a panic-stricken voice, he yanked the drain cover off, fearing for Anastasia’s safety.

Meanwhile, his older daughter, Arizona, stood frozen in horror, witnessing the terrifying scene unfold.

“The fall could have killed her,” Steven said, shaken by the ordeal.

“I told her not to go past the drain because of the canal on the other side, but she stopped, looked at me, smiled, and kept going.

“I saw her disappear, and without a second thought, I ran straight to her. My instincts just kicked in.

“I ran faster than Usain Bolt could off the line. I’ve never run that fast in my life.

“I was in shock. My legs were shaking, like jelly. I was terrified.”

He added, “I thought I could lie on my stomach and reach her, but I couldn’t. I tried climbing down using the metal foot rings, but the space was so narrow, I couldn’t get her out. So, I had to lift her onto my shoulder and climb out, like a firefighter rescuing someone.”

His older daughter, Arizona, watched from above, crying in fear as she thought her younger sister was dead.

“Anastasia’s a tough kid. She was fine afterward and went back to playing, but I think she was still in shock.

“Severn Trent should know better. I’ve been a builder for 24 years, and that drain cover is not acceptable. It should be cast iron, not some thin galvanised metal that barely covers the hole.

“It might be okay for a 2-foot drop, but not a 6-foot one. That’s a huge, dangerous mistake on their part.”

Anastasia was fortunate to escape with just a swollen knee and a lump on her head, but Steven insists that Severn Trent needs to secure the drain covers better.

Meanwhile, Anastasia’s mother, Dani-Leigh Pearce, 32, was left ‘horrified’ after watching the footage and believes the accident ‘could have broken her daughter’s neck.’

“I was absolutely horrified when I saw the footage. It made me feel sick,” she said.

“Luckily, her age worked in her favour because being so small, she fell right down the centre.

“If it had been her sister, she might have had a higher chance of hitting her head.

“She was incredibly lucky. It could have been much worse, and from that height, she could have broken her neck.

“Thank goodness Steven was there to look after them. He acted so quickly, and I’m just so grateful he was on top of things that day.”

The family reported the incident to Severn Trent, who installed a new, permanent cover on Friday, 28 February.

A spokesperson for Severn Trent said, “We’re very sorry to hear about what happened, and we’re investigating the circumstances as a priority.

“Since the family has initiated an insurance claim, we’re unable to comment further at this time.”