An ambulance worker who hurt his back when he had to move a 19-stone patient, has been awarded �140,000 compensation.

Norman Thurrell, 58, of Denton, in Tameside, Greater Manchester, was moving the man from an ambulance when two wheels came off the stretcher.

Mr Thurrell supported the patient's weight for five minutes and injured his back and leg.

Greater Manchester Ambulance Service agreed the award for the incident in August1999 in an out-of-court settlement.

We are constantly having to bring cases to court where workers have been injured by the equipment they use

Jon Richards, UNISON

Mr Thurrell was forced to give up work after the incident as he moved the man from an ambulance to the Duchess of York Hospital in Manchester.

He said: "I've lost the job that I love through no fault of my own.

"I would like to see ambulance workers given more say over the type of equipment and ambulances used."

The public service union, UNISON, which fought Mr Thurrell's case, is calling for better measures to prevent similar accidents.

Jon Richards, national health officer, said: "We are constantly having to bring cases to court where workers have been injured by the equipment they use.

New equipment

"Some of the trolleys and carry-chairs we see are well past their sell-by date or not maintained."

Greater Manchester Ambulance Service said Mr Thurrell's injury was caused by a faulty stretcher which was found to have aluminium instead of steel rivets.

John Williams, director of human resources, said: "Norman was a superb employee.

"Regretfully he retired following medical advice.

"Paramedics and technicians are fully involved in the design and selection of all ambulance equipment and we are currently replacing the stretchers that we use.

"Now that a settlement has been reached with Norman we are contemplating, with our advisers, legal action against the manufacturers and suppliers."