A POLISH fairground worker's leg was crushed when he became trapped under a ride being dismantled at the St Helens Show.

The man, aged in his early 20s, was taking apart the KMG Equinox - a spinner style ride - in the early hours of Monday morning following the three-day carnival at Sherdley Park.

It is believed the wet and windy weather may have caused the ride's structure to slip and fall upon the worker, who became trapped.

Firefighters needed about an hour and a half to free the victim and a fire service spokesman confirmed the man had suffered 'crush injuries' to his leg.Witnesses say it took up a dozen firefighters and a crane to lift the structure off the man's lower limbs.

Paramedics took him to Whiston Hospital, where it is believed he underwent surgery on Monday.

Eyewitness

An ambulance service spokesman said: "The man suffered serious injuries to his left leg. It is suspected he suffered fractured tibia and fibula bones."

Eyewitness Alan Johnston, 17, of Woodville Street, St Helens, had been working at the fairground and was among six who had been taking down the ride.

He said: "We think it slipped because of the amount of water the turf had soaked up. The man didn't scream or anything. He was very quiet so I think he was in shock.

"We were trying to lift the ride off his ankles but it was too heavy, so we just tried to give him words of support before the firemen lifted it."

Health and safety officers from St Helens Council were joined at the scene of the accident on Monday by investigators from the Health and Safety Executive, whose spokesperson said: "First assumptions appear that with the very bad weather over the weekend caused the slippage of one of three jacks that support the ride which just caused the balance to be thrown out."