STEVE McCormack has no problem with time on his hands while recovering from a brewery accident.

Thanks to his girlfriend, he has 120 get well letters to reply to - all of them from America!

It was only last week that Steve, 25, of Pensclose, Witney, came home after surgery on his foot at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

He was trapped for nearly four hours in a mash machine at Wychwood Brewery, Witney, after his leg became caught during a routine cleaning operation.

Fireman Arron Hyatt, 21, spent nearly four hours holding Steve clear of dangerous machinery.

Surgeons carried out an operation at the scene while emergency services battled to cut him free. Half his foot had to be amputated.

Steve's girlfriend, student Lindsay Crawford, sent an Oxford Mail cutting of the accident to her mum in Massachusetts, USA.

And she, being a teacher, asked her pupils to send letters to cheer him up. Not only that, they also sent some home-made banners.

Steve said: "They arrived on the day I got out of hospital. I was overwhelmed. Each of them is individually written, so I am going to reply to each one personally. It will certainly fill the time up."

He is now starting to walk with the aid of crutches and has paid a visit to the brewery to see his workmates.

He said the accident has not put him off his career.

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