A QUARRY worker was recovering in hospital last night after he had to be cut from his truck in a dramatic rescue operation at a North-East plant.

The 42-year-old's tipper lorry got stuck in a tunnel as he worked an early morning shift at Thrislington Quarry, in County Durham, yesterday.

The vehicle's bucket became lodged in the tunnel and raised the front of the vehicle off the ground, crushing the driver's cab against the roof of the passage.

The operator was trapped inside for about an hour-and-a-half as fire and rescue personnel worked in cramped conditions to release him.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham with suspected head, back and pelvic injuries. His condition last night was described as comfortable.

A paramedic crew worked alongside the rescuers to administer oxygen and morphine to the man during the operation.

The rescue was made difficult for rescuers, who used heavy duty machinery to remove the top of the driver's cab, because of the position of the truck.

There was little space inside the tunnel for manoeuvre and, as the front of the truck was elevated, they had to work on a platform several feet above the ground.

Twelve brigade staff and two medics were at the scene, at West Cornforth, near Ferryhill, from 6.20am to 8am, though only six could fit on the rescue platform at any one time.

Duty officer Keith Wanley, of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue, said: "It was a difficult rescue because of the cramped conditions.

"The driver was trapped under the steering shaft and, because the cab collapsed when it crashed into the roof of the tunnel, we couldn't get a spinal board in to protect him.

"It was a delicate process, but our personnel and the paramedic were able to carefully slide him to safety and pass him out of the tunnel."

Operators regularly use the tunnel through an embankment to travel between the limestone extraction site to processing kilns, but yesterday, the rear bucket was still raised as the driver attempted to enter the passage.

The 254-acre quarry has produced dolomite for road works and building since the early 1950s under several owners.

It is run by French company LaFarge Aggregates (UK), which closed the cement works at Eastgate, Weardale, in 2002. No one at the company was available to comment last night.