Michelle Heaton, 35, has revealed that she struggled whether or not to go public with her daughter's accident - but has chosen to do so as a warning to other parents.
"It had the cover on, so I ignored it as a safety risk"
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Writing in her blog, she said: "Faith fell three metres down a manhole.
"It had the cover on it – hence why I ignored it as a safety risk – but for whatever reason it had moved slightly and left a small gap which was big enough for Faith to push through."
Michelle continued: "We had been at a friend's house and I put AJ in the car first while Faith stayed close to me (she knows never to move from my side) but I felt she was too close to the road so I asked her to step inwards.
"I turned to check on AJ and as I turned back, after what must've only been a second, Faith had gone."
"Any parent, grand parent, god parent etc. can only imagine what went through my head. Had someone taken her? Had she stepped out onto the road?
"I shrieked: 'Faith' so loudly AJ burst into tears and Faith wailed which I recognised as a cry for help. She was at the bottom of the hole!"
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Michelle immediately began to scream louder and louder, desperate for someone to help her daughter, and, thankfully, two builders rushed to her aid.
One lowered himself down the manhole and fetched the little girl out, covered in head-to-toe sewage.
Michelle carried the toddler to a friend's house and rang the NHS helpline but, despite the horror of what could have happened, little Faith was fine.
The former Liberty X songstress said: "It's a miracle she escaped with a only few scratches and smelling worse than AJ's dirty nappies.
"She was lucky she landed on her bum. It could've been a lot worse."