ONE of East Lancashire's biggest companies is facing a fine of up to £2.9million an employee suffered a serious finger injury.

Accrol Papers, a directly owned subsidiary of Accrol Group Holdings, of Roman Road, Blackburn, pleading guilty to a health and safety offence at Manchester Magistrates Court.

The charge arose out of an incident in May 2016, when an employee of the soft tissue manufacturer suffered a serious injury to the top of his right index finger.

The Health and Safety Executive has indicated it is seeking a fine in the range of £550,000 to £2.9million.

However, Accrol Papers will receive maximum credit for its early guilty plea and any fine will be subject to a discount of a third. Sentencing is expected on January 17.

A spokesman for Accrol said: "The company takes the health and safety of its employees very seriously and has co-operated fully with the HSE and its investigation."

The prospective fine comes just a week after Accrol Group Holdings temporarily suspended stock market trading in its shares.

The company said it acted because it was ‘currently experiencing more challenging trading conditions’.

The move was to ensure it meets the strict conditions on financial transparency of the junior AIM Stock Market in London on which it floated with a market capitalisation of £93million in June last year.

Accrol employs 540 people in Blackburn, Leyland, and Skelmersdale manufacturing and distributing toilet rolls, kitchen rolls and facial and other tissues largely aimed at the discount market.

A company statement issued to the AIM market said the decision followed a wide-ranging review of its operations by new chief executive Gareth Jenkins.

A spokesman for Accrol has confirmed that trading in Accrol shares remains suspended.

In July Accrol Group Holdings announced a rise in profits after tax of nearly 30 per cent.

This year it opened a manufacturing facility in Leyland, while a new finished goods warehouse in Skelmersdale was announced in May.