A source at the building site said: "When we left last night the cradle was on the ground floor, but when we got in this morning it had moved 13 floors up.
"One theory is that vandals got in and pressed one of the 'Up' buttons which sent it shooting upwards.
"The problem is that they only pressed one button which meant it travelled up on its side."
The source added that because it was dangling lop-sided this meant it was unsafe and with today's gusts could break free and plummet to the ground at any time.
Construction firm Bowmer and Kirkland roped off the area and called in the Health and Safety Executive.
It is the third incident at the site which is due to be completed early next year.
Last summer a middle-aged woman was injured when hoardings collapsed on her during high winds.
And the previous year the hoardings blew over but did not hit anyone.
