A woman whose arm was crushed in a machine at a Keighley factory is still having reconstruction work to try to fix it, a court heard.

Tracey Holt suffered multiple breaks to her right arm when her hand became caught as she tried to feed leather into a machine at Foulds conveyor belt manufacturers.

Bingley magistrates heard how 32-year-old Miss Holt had not been able to work since the incident and was still undergoing surgery to try to fix the breaks in her arm.

Foulds of Parkwood Street, pleaded guilty to contravening health and safety at work on October 23 last year and was fined £4,500.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Nicola Browett told the court the machine being used was very old and the belting was quite heavy and rigid, making it difficult to hold.

Miss Browett said there was an emergency push stop control on the machine, reportedly fitted after a previous accident involving the machine in the 1960s.

But she said Miss Holt was unable to reach the control during the incident and another worker had to stop the machine.

Miss Holt, who has worked for the company for 16 years, was in hospital for a week after the incident.

In mitigation John Newman, representing the company which employs about 35 people, said about 95 per cent of the company's work now involves light, plastic belting, rather than leather.

Only two or three people would need to ever use the room where this machinery was housed.

He said the piece of machinery "is of some antiquity" and is not used on a regular basis. Machinery next to it has the same function but winds up manually, which is safer, he added.

But he said this was no excuse and "less safe machinery" should have been taken away some time ago.

He said at no time had it been suggested the accident was anyone else's responsibility but the company's. Prompt action had been taken to make sure the machine is no longer used and it is to be removed soon.

He said the company has a good safety record, although he did not have figures, and does a machine audit on a regular basis.

He added the company has continued to pay Miss Holt's salary while she was unable to work, has paid for private treatment and may re-employ her in a training capacity when she is fit.

Chairman of the bench Edward Evans said the case was extremely serious and had led to Miss Holt having special surgery to get a chance of having the use of her arm back.

He said he noted the guilty plea but the company had no alternative, so it was not given full credit.

He said: "Had the injuries been any worse the case would have gone to the crown court.

"More care and consideration should be given to the checking of these machines."

He added nothing was mentioned about training of staff, who were left to their own devices.

He said the machine should have been removed earlier.

The company was ordered to pay the full £1,798.53 costs.