UPDATE: Firefighter describes Littlehampton skip crush horror

The incident happened just after 3.30pm outside the Arun Civic Centre, in Maltravers Road, when a building contractor’s arm was caught in the machinery.

Firefighter and Littlehampton crew commander Pip Taylor was en route to a home fire safety check when he spotted the injured worker, covered in blood, just outside of the fire station.

He said: “We happened to be turning out of the fire station when we saw the injured male.

“He was 20 yards away at the side of the station. There was an awful lot of blood. We needed to turn around at the roundabout and help him out.

“There was a lot of blood. His left arm had multiple fractures and the angle of the arm was deformed. It was quite a serious and nasty injury.

“He went to shock relatively quickly – he was warm to touch to start with but he was going into shock and he ‘greyed’ out quite quickly.”

He said the crews made sure the injured man did not deteriorate further by giving him essential first-aid and keeping him warm using a special thermal blanket.

Five minutes later, the first band of paramedics arrived to continue with the man’s treatment. Air ambulance crews later landed in Caffyns Field and flew the man to the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Pip added: “It was quite lucky we saw him. Although I did say to someone from the council that if this ever happens again to give us a call. Some people don’t realise that we are medically trained.”

The man, known only as Bob, was employed by Lewes-based contractors Cheesmur Building which was working on the improvements to the Civic Centre.

A spokeswoman for the company said: “We are carrying out a full investigation and working closely with Health and Safety Executive and our main concern is that Bob is well looked after and makes a speedy recovery.”