A YOUNG fast food restaurant worker was at the centre of a drama after firefighters spent two hours trying to free his trapped hand from a safe.

The un-named man, in his late teens or early 20s, was depositing an item in the safe at McDonald's in North Valley Road, Colne, late on Tuesday night when his left hand got stuck.

During the height of the ordeal three crews from Colne and Nelson were called to the drive-through - as was a doctor - after the store manager's bid to free the youth's hand using washing-up liquid failed.

They used specialist kit and a saw to release the man after the alarm was raised just before midnight as staff were preparing to close the restaurant.

Crew manager Nigel Greenwood said the safe, made of heavy steel, was slowly prised open during the two hour operation.

"I think his hand was just bruised and swollen, but he was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure," added Mr Greenwood.

The young man was taken to Burnley General Hospital for a check-up but was later allowed home.

A spokesman for McDonald's said today: "On the closing shift a member of staff was assisting the shift manager put the evening's takings into the safe.

"The money is deposited through a letterbox-style hole, on this occasion the staff member put his hand quite far into the hole and was unable to immediately pull it back out.

"The local fire brigade were called to assist the employee in safely removing his hand.

"We are delighted to report that the staff member was unharmed and has been given the all clear by the local hospital."

She added: "He doesn't want to speak about it because it was quite an ordeal and it's probably a little bit embarrassing for him. We don't want to make light of what happened.

"He popped into work the next day on his day off to say that he was all right."