A Skipton town councillor has received £75,000 from his former employer after being crushed in an accident at work.

Forklift truck driver Paul English spent more than seven weeks in hospital after he was trapped between two parts of the machine at Teacherboards Ltd in the town.

The company's insurers agreed to pay the out-of-court settlement after Councillor English, 29, who is also a member of the Airedale Community Health Council, sued for personal injury.

The accident happened in July, 1995, as he was standing on the forklift loading boards on to shelving.

"As I moved, my foot caught a lever and the fork lift mast tilted, crushing me against the roll cage of the truck," he said. "It caught me on my pelvis but luckily I managed to get my foot off the lever and stop it otherwise it would have possibly cut me in half."

The Liberal Democrat councillor, of Burnside Avenue, Skipton, said he spent seven weeks in traction as the fractured pelvis healed and he was unable to continue playing sport as a result of the injury.

"It has also limited my opportunities for work because I can't stay on my feet too long and I can't sit too long either.

"I am unemployed at the moment - I am going to have to look at running some kind of business for myself."

Coun English, who married fellow councillor Polly last year, said the accident and his recovery had been an ordeal.

"It was quite tough but you have to fight on and not give in because there are always people worse off," he said.

He was so grateful to staff on Ward Nine at the Airedale Hospital that he invited them to his wedding.

"They were fantastic," he said.

Mr English's solicitor, Skipton-based Andrew Armstrong, said: "This was a serious accident and the circumstances were potentially life-threatening.

"Fortunately the injuries were not as bad as they could have been although they have left him with some permanent disability."

Teacherboards managing director Edmund Raczkowski said: "I am sorry - we have nothing to say. Our insurers dealt with the matter."

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: "The accident was investigated and certain recommendations were made to the company."

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