A builder's hand has been severed after he caught it in machinery while working on a golf club roof.

The man, an employee of family-run sub-contractors Hove Asphalt, was working with a bitumen shredding machine at Seaford Golf Course in File Road, Seaford.

It is believed his arm became caught in the machine and severed his hand, which then fell into the molten tar.

His hand was recovered from the vat of bitumen and packed in ice in the hope it could be reattached by surgeons at Eastbourne District General Hospital.

Golf club secretary Philip Court said: "He was working on the roof of the golf course extension, which is being built at the moment.

"He was boiling the bitumen prior to applying it when something happened and he caught his hand in a rotating blade which is there to keep the bitumen in fluid form."

"Luckily a doctor who is a member of the golf club was on site and he and some of our workers were able to stem the flow of blood and comfort the man until the ambulance arrived.

"We are very sorry this terrible accident happened on our site and wish him all the best."

Shirley Calvert of Sussex Ambulance Service said: "The injured man had lost a lot of blood."

The incident, at noon on Monday, is not being treated as suspicious.

Inspector Ron Preddy said: "Although health and safety experts are visiting the site it was purely an industrial accident and no blame is attached to the golf club."

The Health and Safety Executive has begun an investigation into accident, which may have been caused by faulty equipment.

A spokesman said: "An inspector is still looking into the matter and will not be in a position to release any information until the end of the week."