A FACTORY worker's forearm was stripped of skin after it became trapped in a printing press.

The accident happened at the VMB Ltd factory on the Blackpole Trading Estate, Worcester, at 1pm yesterday .

The victim was Dean Roberts, of Goldsmith Road, Warndon, who was cleaning the printing press at the time, when his arm became trapped.

He suffered severe injuries to his right arm from his hand to his elbow.

Fire crews and paramedics went to the scene - it took fire crews 45 minutes to free the 25-year-old.

He was taken by air ambulance to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. This morning, a spokes-man from Selly Oak said his condition was 'comfortable'.

The company's Manag-ing Director, John Smith, extended his sympathy to Mr Roberts, but said details of the accident had not yet emerged.

"We don't know how it happened, but we are carrying out an investigation.

"It is better news than we expected because there are no broken bones.

"We expect he'll be in hospital for about a week and he may need further skin surgery."

Mr Smith said Mr Roberts' brother had been contacted who had gone to see him in hospital.

"We are desperately concerned. We take health and safety very seriously and while accidents like this are rare, when they do occur they are very traumatic for everyone," added Mr Smith.

VMB Ltd makes printed plastic bags and other polythene products.