Man's hand sewn inside his abdomen by surgeons after it was mangled in machine

Retained firefighter feared he would lose his hand after accident

The technique used to be common during the Second World War (SWNS)

Surgeons saved a man's mangled hand by sewing it inside a "pocket" in his abdomen for three weeks.

Anthony Seward, 21, had his left hand crushed in a mangle in a work accident at the Heahtcote Fabrics Ltd factory in Tiverton, Devon.

Although the tips of his fingers were amputated in the accident, they may eventually be replaced by transplants from his toes.

Anthony Seward, 21, had his hand crushed in a mangle in a work accident (SWNS)

Warning, graphic pictures (below) show the extent of the Pedicled Abdominal Flap procedure used to allow Mr Seward's skin to heal.

He has since regained the partial use of his hand and had two operations to separate his fingers so he can move them independently.

Surgeon's sewed Mr Seward's hand inside a 'pocket' in his abdomen (SWNS)

Although the tips of his fingers were amputated in the accident, they may eventually be replaced by transplants from his toes (SWNS)

Mr Seward said he was forced to give up his role as a retained firefighter - a part-time position responding to emergencies in the local community - as a result of the accident.

He was injured while cleaning the mangle at the end of a night shift.

Exeter magistrates heard the technique used to save his hand was an old procedure commonly used on soldiers in World War Two and returning from Afghanistan, Devon Live reported.

He has since had two operations to separate his fingers so he can move them independently (SWNS)

Mr Seward has since regained the partial use of his hand (SWNS)

Mr Seward's former employees were fined £300,000 after admitting a health and safety offence as the L-Stenter mangle's light curtain, which should have automatically stopped the rollers once the beam of light is broken, had broken down.

The court heard replacement parts had been ordered, but a risk assessment decided an emergency stop-cord would be sufficient.