Pop star Mika's sister fighting for her life after 50ft horror fall leaves her impaled on railings



Scene: Paloma Penniman, pictured left with her brother Mika, fell from the still-open window of the property onto the railings below

The sister of pop star Mika was rushed to hospital still impaled on railings after falling 50ft from a window.



Paloma Penniman, 28, fell from a third-floor window in Kensington, west London, early yesterday morning after she lost her balance while sitting on a ledge.

Firefighters managed to cut the railings and free her but it was too dangerous for ambulance crews to remove the metal spikes at the scene.



Both her legs and her abdomen were impaled and she was taken to Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, where surgeons operated.



One neighbour said she was woken by noises in the street. The woman, who did not want to be named, said: 'It woke us all up about 5am. There was sirens and flashing lights, I didn't know what was happening.

'I came out to have a look and I saw her body impaled on the railings. It was one of the most traumatic things I have ever seen. I've tried to block it out and prevent my young children from finding out.



'There was a lot of blood, I had to look away and let the emergency services get on with it.

'The police came within three minutes I think and I believe that's the only reason she's still alive. After a fall like that I thought she would have died and I'm so very pleased to hear she's still alive.'

Lubna Saied, who has lived in the area for 25 years, said: 'It's just so dreadful.



'We've all heard - all the neighbours - that it's being treated as non-suspicious and that it was just a tragic accident.

'It's an absolute miracle she's still alive after a fall like that. It's a really high window.'



A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'Police were called to an address at 5.15am yesterday after reports a woman was impaled on railings after falling from a window.'

The scene in Kensington, west London where the sister of chart star Mika, Paloma Penniman, was impaled on to railings after falling 50ft from a third floor window

A spokesman for Mika, 27, said: 'Paloma had a serious accident.

'She is in a critical but stable state. The family have asked for privacy at this time.'

A source close to the singer said: 'To say he is traumatised doesn't even come close. It is the stuff of nightmares.

'No one really knows what happened. One minute Paloma was sitting on the window ledge, the next she had fallen onto the railings.'

Ms Penniman and her famous brother, real name Michael Penniman, had been out to dinner on the night before the accident.

Firefighters had to remove the railings before taking Miss Penniman to hospital where she is in a critical condition

Sealed off: A policeman guards the scene where blood is still visible on the pavement

The pair are very close and as well as designing Mika's stage outfits, Ms Penniman sang backing vocals on his second album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much.

The Brit Award-winning artist, who won the BBC's influential Sound of 2007 poll, comes from a family of five and also has a younger brother Fortune, younger sister Allegra and another sister, Yasmine.

His family are closely involved with his career.



Yasmine, who works as an artist under the name DaWack, painted the cartoon art for his album Life In Cartoon Motion.

Beirut-born Mika and Paloma have a Lebanese mother and an American father.