A MAN was airlifted to hospital after he was crushed between a lorry and a container at a recycling centre.

Residents trying to use the civic amenity site, in Canvey Road, were turned away on Saturday, January 26, following the accident.

The 29-year-old from Canvey, who is an employee of contractor May Gurney that works out of the Essex County Council run facility, was in the service area of the site, which is not open to the public, at the time.

Emergency services raced to the scene just before 11am and the Health and Safety Executive were informed.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said officers took control of the situation, but the HSE is now leading the investigation.

Gary Sanderson, spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service, said a land ambulance and the Hertfordshire Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

He said the man was flown to the Royal London Hospital fully conscious with a chest injury.

A spokesman for the HSE said it is aware of the incident and making “initial inquiries”, but would not comment further.

Essex County Council opened the £500,000 facility in 2002.