A TEENAGER who lost two fingers in a horrific accident at work has been told he cannot receive sick pay.

Raven Engineering (Pressings) Limited have denied payments to 18-year-old Andrew Griffin whose middle, index and tip of his ring finger were sliced off by a metal presser in an accident during an evening shift.

The bombshell came days after the accident as Andrew was recovering at home and struggling to come to terms with his injuries and the probable end of any chance of ever joining the Royal Air Force or fire brigade.

His angry father Allan, a distribution manager for Whitbread in Merseyside, said: "The lad has been through hell and it is not finished yet. Doctors say he could lose his ring finger, too. He has lost part of his hand and the way he is being treated by this company is scandalous. I wouldn't treat a dog like that."

But Mr Anthony Whitehead, managing director of Raven, said: "The pay situation is being dealt with by the accounts department. The terms and conditions of employment state that people don't get paid for sickness. It is not Andrew personally - it would happen to anyone."

Andrew, of Edmonton Drive, Blackburn said: "As far as Raven is concerned I'm not going to get a penny. I am applying for NHS sick pay but I don't know if or when I will get it. Industrial accident benefit will not come through for three months. I've no life. I'm having to stop in and live off my parents."

He was making Ford petrol caps on a metal presser when he claims the machine's guard suddenly fell down trapping his left hand and severing two of his fingers and cutting the tip off another.

The rest of his hand was only saved from being crushed as the teenager fought to wrench it from under the guard. He was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary for X-rays and immediately transferred to the Royal Preston Hospital for an emergency skin graft.

Andrew had only been working at the company at Altham Business Park for four weeks as a press operator engineer when the accident happened.

He said: "The machine trapped my hand by the knuckles and the pressure came down. Two of my fingers were cut off straight away."

His father claimed the company paid Andrew for the time he had worked and then froze payments to the teenager.

A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive said: "We are investigating the incident but no conclusions have been drawn yet."

Allan, 50, and his wife Marilyn also have three daughters and he added: "Two employees called to tell Andrew he wouldn't get any more money."

"He was struggling to get back on his feet and regain a little bit of hope. He has been knocked back."

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