i'm afraid to say that the origins of this story as stated above are quite incorrect.

The facts are that the Head Office of Cable and Wireless received an accident report from one of its branches in south or central America in the late 50's or early 60's. The report was sent by someone to the Daily Mirror newspaper in London, which published it, and the story was subsequently related by Gerald Hoffnung at the Oxford Union, a recording being put on disc.

I know because I was working in the Personnel Department of that company at the time that the report was received.

I happened to see the same or similar accident report printed in a recent copy of the tourist magazine for Hua Hin, Thailand, hence the interest.

The accident was to a member of the company's local staff.