AN engineering firm has been fined for breaches of safety regulations after a woman's thumb was amputated by an unguarded machine.

Vehicle gasket makers Elring Klingor (Great Britain) Ltd of Troisdorf Way, Kirkleatham Business Park, near Redcar, were fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,999 by Teesside Magistrates after the accident which happened in August last year.

Employee Clare Learman, 20, whose left thumb was severed at the knuckle in the incident, was not in court to hear sentence, but has started civil proceedings against the German-owned firm.

The firm pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that effective measures were taken to ensure that guards were maintained in efficient working order.

Barrister William Carter, representing Elring Klingor, said the firm, a member of the British Safety Council, had also admitted liability in the civil proceedings.

After hearing the evidence and adjourning to consider sentence, magistrates' chairman Joyce Harrison told the firm: "We have identified some aggravating factors; that injury occurred due to three safety mechanisms failing and there was collective failure by members of staff and inadequate repairs caused the machine to be dangerous.''