A dock worker trapped under a one ton bag of potatoes in the hold of a ship was flown by air ambulance to hospital this morning.

It happened at 9am in Sheerness Docks off Bridge Road, Sheerness, as the ship's cargo was being unloaded.

The man, believed to be from the Island, was taken by the Kent Air Ambulance to King’s College Hospital, London, with pelvic and leg injuries but he was conscious on arrival.

He is thought to be in his 60s.

Firefighter Dave Hewitt, from Sheppey fire station, said: “The bag had been split when we arrived in order to remove some of the potatoes. He was put in a stretcher and lifted from the hold by a dockside crane to the waiting air ambulance.”

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.