A film production company is being prosecuted over the incident in which Harrison Ford was seriously injured filming of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Ford suffered a broken leg and other injuries when he was struck by a heavy hydraulic metal door on the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship in June, 2014.

The 71-year-old was airlifted from Pinewood Studios to the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington, where he was treated for his injuries.

Foodles Production (UK) will appear at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on May 12 accused of breaching health and safety law.

If found guilty the firm - which is owned by Disney - could be fined.

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said: "The HSE has today informed Foodles Production (UK) Ltd that it will be prosecuted over four alleged breaches of health and safety law.

"The charges relate to an incident during filming of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which left Harrison Ford with serious injuries after he was hit by a heavy hydraulic door.

"By law, employers must take reasonable steps to protect workers - this is as true on a film set as a factory floor.

"We have investigated thoroughly and believe that we have sufficient evidence to bring the case to court."

The four alleged breaches are two under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, one under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and one under Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

A spokeswoman for Foodles Production (UK) Ltd said: "Cast and crew safety is always a top priority. We provided full co-operation during HSE's investigation into the on-set accident that occurred in June 2014 and are disappointed in HSE's decision."

George Lucas sold his company, Lucasfilm, to the Walt Disney Co in 2012 for $4.06bn (£2.7bn), and the studio charged ahead in developing The Force Awakens with director JJ Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

Ford talked about the incident during an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show before Christmas referring to the "f***ing great hydraulic door".

Oxford Mail:

He said in the original film a door would have been closed with a pulley and a stage hand.

"But now we had lots of money and technology and so they built a f***ing great hydraulic door which closed at light speed," he said.