A BRAVE crane driver, who was trapped in his cab by his legs after his 45 tonne crane overturned, joked with rescuers who battled for three and a half hours to free him.

Despite being pinned down, David Worthington, from Skipton, shrugged off his pain to ring his wife on a mobile phone to tell her: "I've had a bit of an accident".

The drama began on Wednesday when Mr Worthington's crane toppled over in a field a mile away from the nearest road near Chorley.

Mr Worthington, 58, of North Parade, Skipton, was flown by police helicopter to the Royal Preston Hospital after his ordeal. He suffered severe leg injuries and was described as stable in hospital.

Insp Chris Gradwell, of Chorley Police, said: "Mr Worthington was operating the crane removing 20 foot long steel piles from a Transco gas pipeline. It would appear the crane overbalanced - we don't know why - and overturned.

"Mr Worthington was trapped by his legs in the cab.

"There was a delicate and lengthy rescue operation involving cutting away parts of the crane cab - during the ordeal Mr Worthington remained conscious and exchanged jokes and conversation with medical staff and fire officers," Insp Gradwell said.

"I said to him, 'you can't park here, you know' which raised a laugh - he's a brave man. He actually spoke to his wife on a mobile phone from his precarious position," he added.

Health and safety officers are now carrying out an investigation into the accident.

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