A BARNOLDSWICK man is recovering in hospital following an industrial accident which police initially feared could prove fatal.

Jack Parsons, 44, of Moor Close Farm, Esp Lane, was dragged into machinery at a sawmill in Gisburn when his clothing became caught in a drive chain.

He suffered serious chest, back and arm injuries and was rushed to Burnley General Hospital before being transferred to a specialist unit at St James' Hospital, in Leeds.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "Initially his injuries were thought to be life threatening, but his condition stabilised in hospital."

Mr Parsons, who is single and lives at Moor Close Farm with his parents Eric and Daphne, has worked at the Gisburn company - the Railside Trading Company, in Mill Lane - for about two years.

It is understood his clothing caught on the drive chain of a conveyor belt feeding a saw, dragging him into the machinery.

The accident happened at 11.10am last Friday and is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive. An order banning the use of the machinery involved will stay in force until after the HSE's inquiries are completed.

Mr Parson's father said his son had remained conscious throughout the ordeal, adding that he was lucky to be alive.

"It's a good job he's a strong, fit young fella, because I'm sure that helped him," said Mr Parsons senior.

"He's had a good hiding - he's got about five broken ribs and some bad injuries to his arm that will need skin grafts."

But Mr Parsons added that his son was cheerful and talkative, and as comfortable as could be expected.

"I think he'll be in hospital for a while though," he said.

Mr Parsons keeps fit through running and also enjoys photography and astronomy in his spare time.

He was a founder member of Earby Camera Club and in 1997 managed to photograph the now famous Hale Bopp comet before most people had even heard of it.

He supplied a copy of the photograph to the Craven Herald, making it one of the first newspapers in Britain to carry a picture of the comet. Similar photographs hit the front pages of national papers over a week later.

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