A MAN is recovering in hospital with burns following an accident at a North-East mine.

The incident took place at Cleveland Potash Mine, the country's deepest underground mine, at Boulby, east Cleveland, on Monday, but details have only just emerged.

The company is refusing to give details about the victim or the circumstances of the accident, but Chris Gibson, personnel manager at the mine, confirmed that a contractor received serious electrical burns in the accident.

"He was badly burned to his face, arms, chest and neck areas but he is getting better. He was severely burned."

Mr Gibson explained that the victim, a contractor for a maintenance company, had worked intermittently at the mine for the past five years.

At the time of the accident he was carrying out electrical maintenance work on a switch panel at the surface of the mine while the it was shut down.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) spokesman said it was investigating the incident.

The mine, which has been operating for more than 25 years, has a chequered safety record as there have been several accidents in recent years.

Patrick Conway, from Redcar, was injured in a gas explosion at the mine in 1985 and didn't work again. Four years later he committed suicide. His widow blamed the accident for her husband's changed character.

And in 1993, one man became entombed more than 1,000 metres under the mine due to a rock fall and four others were seriously injured in a second rock fall while trying to rescue him.

In 1995 miner Robert Morgan was crushed to death under a slab of rock, while Trevor Jones needed part of his leg amputated in 1999 when he was crushed under a wall.

But Mr Gibson defended the company's safety record and said: "Our safety record is very good and we haven't had any problems at the mine in recent years. We did have one or two accidents but we have a very good safety record."

He added the company was now waiting for the HSE report on this latest incident.