Westfield car-crushing machine traps man's legs
A man was severely injured when his legs were trapped in a car-crushing machine at a scrapyard in East Sussex.
Emergency services were called to Ripley Auto Spares in Westfield, near Hastings, at about 0835 BST.
The 40-year-old worker was trapped in the machine for about 45 minutes. He was treated at the scene before being airlifted to hospital.
Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating the cause of the incident.
Firefighters sent to Hole Farm, in Westfield Lane, Westfield, cut the man free from the machinery.
Three people were treated for shock.
The man is being treated at the Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel, where his condition is described as stable but critical.
Dr Alan Pearce, from the South East Coast Immediate Medical Care Scheme (SIMCAS), who treated the man at the scene, said: "This was a nasty incident for everyone involved."
Simon Ripley, director of H. Ripley & Co, said the company's priority was to provide support for the injured man and his colleagues.
He said the firm was working closely with the authorities and the site would remain closed pending the completion of an internal investigation.