A woman whose arm was badly damaged when it became trapped in a pasta-making machine was last night in a stable condition.

Donna Saunders needed emergency surgery after the accident at Safeway in St James's Street, Brighton.

She was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital where surgeons operated to remove a 6in metal spike from her arm.

Firefighters dismantled the machine to try to free her arm but the spike, which was attached to the machine's cylinder, could not be taken out.

The accident happened shortly after 8am yesterday.

Ms Saunders, who is in her 20s, is with her family at the hospital.

Safeway has launched an investigation.