A TEENAGER was seriously injured when he was crushed between two conveyor belts in a fertilizer factory.

An investigation has been launched into the incident at Joseph Metcalf Ltd, Vine Mill, Brookside Lane, Oswaldtwistle, at 3.20pm yesterday.

Paramedics said production worker Keiran Rhodes-Taylor, aged 18, suffered "life-threatening" injuries to his head, face and a shoulder after falling into rolling machinery used to flatten bags.

Emergency crews were at the scene for an hour.

Police said it was not clear whether Mr Rhodes-Taylor, from Oswaldtwistle, tripped or fell into the machinery.

Health and Safety officials were also called in to investigate.

Mr Rhodes-Taylor was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary where his condition early today was described as stable.

Inspector Graham Keyte, of Blackburn Police, said: "The man suffered life-threatening injuries after being crushed between two conveyor belts. It does not seem to be a police matter at this stage and the investigation will be carried out by health and safety executives."

An Accrington fire crew assisted paramedics with medical treatment and gave the victim oxygen at the scene.

Sub-officer Steve Harrison said: "He appears to have fallen or tripped and gone head first into some machinery which is used for flattening bags of fertiliser. He was trapped for ten minutes before he was released by his colleagues. When we arrived he was unconscious on the floor and we assisted with first aid.

"The machinery was low level and safety guards did not appear to be damaged."

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "Paramedics were on scene for an hour treating serious head, face and shoulder injuries."

Duncan Metcalf, Operations Director for Joseph Metcalf Ltd, said: "It is a very unfortunate accident. We don't know the full details. He was working with someone who stopped the machine and raised the alarm.

"We have first aiders at the company who treated him at the scene before the ambulance arrived."

Mr Metcalf said Mr Rhodes-Taylor had worked at the firm since October and the company, which manufactures fertilisers and compost, was working with the Health and Safety Executive.

He added: "We are very mindful of his family and friends of the family work here too.

"The plant is risk assessed regularly. It's one of several around the country using exactly the same machinery. We are very safety conscious and we are taking it very seriously to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"We would like to wish Keiran and his family the very best and as soon as he is able to see someone we will be visiting him."