By James HoreAN investigation has been launched after a man suffered serious facial injuries when he crushed by a tipper lorry that he was working on.

By James Hore

AN investigation has been launched after a man suffered serious facial injuries when he crushed by a tipper lorry that he was working on.

The vehicle's tipper section had become stuck in the up-position and the worker was underneath when it came down on top of him.

The accident happened at Braxted Park Farm, Great Braxted, and the worker - who has not been named - was taken by ambulance to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

A spokesman for Essex Ambulance Service said: “The man was working on the tipper of a truck which had got stuck in the up position.

“It had been at the site where groundwork was being carried out. It looks as though the man was working on the truck when the tipper, which weighed in the order of half a ton, suddenly came down on top of him.

“The man suffered serious facial injuries. We managed to get him out and put him on a long board and put a collar round his neck.”

The accident happened at about 4.30pm on Monday and the man was said yesterday to be in a “comfortable” condition in hospital.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive said they had launched an investigation into the accident.

n A 64-year-old man suffered serious leg injuries after he was hit by a tractor while trying to jump-start it.

The accident happened at about 10am yesterday on a farm in Bures and Pete Atkins, one of the ambulance crew sent to the scene, said: “The man was one of a number of people trying to jump-start the tractor from a van.

“For some reason the tractor appears to have lurched forward. The bucket on the front struck the patient below the knees on both legs and trapped him between the tractor and the van.”

The man, who has not been named, was treated at the scene and taken to Colchester General Hospital with a suspected fracture to his right leg.

james.hore@eadt.co.uk