Near death experience inspired new Norwich councillor

Alex Catt said he was inspired to change his job after a near death experience last year

A newly elected councillor said a near death experience inspired his move into politics.

Alex Catt, 24, the new Green party councillor for the Sewell ward in Norwich, was injured when he fell down an 80ft (24.3m) gorge while on holiday in Snowdonia in September.

Mr Catt lay in the gorge below Pistyll Cain waterfall for eight hours waiting to be rescued.

He ousted Labour cabinet member Matthew Packer to take the seat.

Sewell was the only ward to change hands, leaving Labour with a 14-seat majority over the Greens as the city council's second biggest group, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Catt sustained a series of injuries in the fall, including a broken left leg and ankle, broken ribs, damage to his kidney and spleen and a dislocated shoulder.

He said: "It's crazy to think that in September I nearly died.

"It's changed my life - I'm trying to turn a negative experience into a positive."

• Labour hold Norwich City Council

While in hospital recovering Mr Catt, who previously worked in the hospitality industry, said he began thinking about his future and said he realised he was "very unhappy in my job".

"It made me want to do something that was worthwhile," he said.

He said standing for election and his work as a new councillor is "a much better use of my time".

Mr Catt said: "It will be doing something that will make a difference."

Speaking about his win against the Labour incumbent, Mr Catt said he was "really excited to start working" for Sewell residents.

"We have a climate emergency which will be one of my biggest priorities," he said.