PARAMEDICS were forced to dash to a farm where a worker's arm had been ripped off by a harvester in a bid to find the missing limb.

A 26-year-old man had been working at New Laithe Farm, near Bolton-by-Bowland in the Ribble Valley, when the horrific accident happened last night.

Paramedics were called to the scene, and arrived by road.

The Lancashire Police helicopter, in the area at the time, then took the man to the Royal Preston Hospital.

But crews had to return to the Settle Lane Farm to try and find the arm.

A spokesman for Lancashire Ambulance said it was hoped the man's arm could be saved.

He said: "The harvester had actually taken off almost half of his arm and it was stuck in the harvester.

"The crews were sent back for it in the hope it could save his arm."

Once the arm was found, it was packed in ice and flown to the Royal Preston Hospital, where surgeons were waiting to operate.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "Our helicopter took the man to the hospital because it was in the area at the time.

"Paramedics were at the scene on road but we could get him to hospital much more quickly by air.

"We went back to the scene to retrieve the arm and then flew that back to the hospital."

Nobody was available from the Royal Preston Hospital to comment on the success of the operation.

The Health and Safety Executive was today due to be informed of the accident so it could begin an inquiry.

A spokesman said it was too early to confirm what form the investigation would take.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, the number of accidents on farms is rising.

A total of 51 deaths occurred in the agriculture industry in 2004, an increase from the previous years figure of 38, with injuries also rising.

A partnership has been set up to encourage farmer workers to think about safety.

Nobody was available to comment at the farm.