A FACTORY worker's arm was badly crushed after it became caught in a machine during a routine cleaning operation.

Anthony Cootes' arm was lodged in machinery at Choride Motive Power Batteries in Over Hulton for 45 minutes while frantic colleagues battled to pull him free.

The 33-year-old Farnworth man spent the next six weeks in Withington Hospital following a seven-hour operation on the arm -- damaged from the elbow down -- at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The company was fined £15,000 plus £1,685 costs at Bolton Magistrates Court after it pleaded guilty to charges of failing to spot a problem with the machinery.

Jill May, prosecuting on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, said the incident, on March 16 could have been prevented if the company had carried out a proper risk assessment on the machine.

A report into its safety had been carried out just days before the accident.

Mr Cootes' arm had became trapped between power rollers with a gap of just 30 milimetres.

Ms May said the risk assessment had "failed to identify the hazardous nature of the power rollers" and added that there was insufficient supervision of the machine.

CMP, based in Over Hulton, provides lead acid batteries and battery chargers for various uses, including forklift trucks and road vehicles.

It has been in the area for 20 years and employs 600 people.

John Parr, defending, said the company had made a "timely guilty plea" and had "endeavoured to rectify the problem following the accident." He said the 33-year-old employee was still on the company's pay roll and stated that the firm had treated the accident victim fairly.

Mr Parr admitted the firm had failed to spot the danger in a report made earlier that month.

He said the company, which made profits of £2.5 million last year, had not been cost-cutting and would have solved the problem in "a matter of hours" had it come to light.

After the hearing, Mr Coote, whose arm is still heavily bandaged, said he was considering taking civil action against the company. He said: "My arm is still sore and I was in hospital for quite some time with it.

"I don't want to say too much at this point but I will say the company have been very fair towards me."