Michael Fincham (63), of South Wootton, suffered the injury while working for packaging firm CPC King's Lynn on the town's Hardwick Industrial Estate in September 2004.

He was walking down a three-level gantry alongside the machine and as he stepped down the gantry moved, causing Mr Fincham to fall, injuring his shoulder and breaking his left foot.

The metatarsal break was confirmed when Mr Fincham received treatment at Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital and he pursued his claim for £6,750 in compensation with assistance from the manufacturing union Unite and Thompsons solicitors.

He said: "The lower platform on the gantry was not secure and I lost my footing and fell heavily. I was immediately in a lot of pain and could not walk.

"I was laid up in bed for the first week and when eventually I did become more mobile I was on crutches for weeks and needed injections to reduce the swelling in my left leg.

"Since the accident my foot has been weakened and I now walk with a permanent limp."

The painful injury has received widespread publicity in recent years following the impact it had on high profile footballers such as Wayne Rooney and David Beckham.