A WORKMAN was last night fighting for his life in hospital following an accident with a digger at York’s new Waitrose supermarket site.

The 22-year-old man was seriously injured yesterday morning when he was trapped between a gate and the digger at the site’s entrance behind Homebase, in Foss Islands Road.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service were called out when the man became trapped and he was taken to York Hospital in a serious condition. He remained in intensive care last night.

The Health and Safety Executive has sent officials to start a formal investigation alongside North Yorkshire Police, to find out the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

A spokesman for Waitrose, which is due to open its York store later this month, said: “We’re shocked and saddened by the tragedy and our thoughts are with his friends and family.”

He said the company would do what it could to help the HSE with the investigations.

The injured man, believed to be from West Yorkshire, works for Leeds-based Howard Civil Engineering, a sub-contractor for Wates Construction which is building the new supermarket.

A Wates spokesperson said the accident had happened at about 8.50am and the man was immediately taken to hospital.

He added: “The site has been sealed off and a Health and Safety Executive investigation is underway.

“We are cooperating fully with their investigation.”

The new Waitrose supermarket is being built on the site of the former MFI store on Foss Islands Road. It is expected to open on October 28 and create 180 jobs.

Wates Construction started work on the £5 million project in June, which includes stripping the old fittings, installing a new drainage system and rebuilding a 36,000 sq ft store with an exterior café area.