AN engineering worker had half his left thumb ripped off and received serious chest injuries in a works accident.

Peter Ashworth, 51, of Richmond Street, Accrington, also needed surgery to three fingers after the incident at Kirk Engineering Ltd, West End Business Park, Oswaldtwistle at 10.30am yesterday.

Mr Ashworth was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary and later transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital where he underwent surgery.

Mr Ashworth, who is left-handed, has been married to Brenda for 16 years and has three stepsons.

Mrs Ashworth, who is a sewing machinist at Eastham's Upholsterers Ltd, Accrington, said today: "He is very poorly.

"The doctor said he is in a lot of pain and will be for the next few days. They are more concerned about his chest than his thumb. It was so badly bruised they can't seem to get a good X-ray of it.

"They have done a skin graft and pulled the skin from his palm to cover his thumb and they have also stitched the tips of three fingers."

Works manager at Kirk Engineering Charlie Gowers said: "We are not 100 per cent sure what happened.

"But he was operating a drill and we think he has gone to wipe it. Somehow he has caught his hand up and it has dragged him in.

"I know him well and he is a good, experienced worker.

"He has been working here for around two-and-a-half-years and it has come as a real shock."

Paramedic Alan Slater, of Accrington Ambulance, said: "He was sat up when we got there but he was quite shaken and we stabilised him at the scene."

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating the accident and was at the premises today.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Preston Hospital said today that Mr Ashworth was in a "comfortable" condition.

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