IT was no mean feat that Denis Dipple escaped with only slight bruising when a ton of steel bars fell on his toes.

For Denis had the good sense to be wearing safety shoes which protected his size nine's from serious injury and helped him hot step into a place in the Golden Shoe Club.

Denis, of Highland Way, Greenlands, was at work unloading steel bars from a van at the Garringtons factory in Bromsgrove when the accident happened.

Two bars weighing a ton rolled off and onto Denis's right foot but the steel toe caps in his safety shoes took most of the weight and Denis got away with just slight bruising and was soon back at work.

Now he has been made a life member of the Golden Shoe Club, an independent shoe safety organisation, and will receive a special club tie and pocket penknife for his good sense in wearing safety shoes.