A shop assistant who suffered agonising injuries when her arm was dragged into an electric pasta machine has won substantial damages from her employer.

Donna Saunders, 24, was working at the fresh-to-go counter of Safeway in St James's Street, Brighton, when her left arm was dragged into the pasta mixer and impaled on the mixing spike.

The machine's cut-off mechanism failed to activate and Donna's arm continued to be twisted until it broke in two places and became trapped.

When fire crews were unable to free her, she was rushed to the Royal Sussex County Hospital with part of the machine still attached to her arm.

She was immediately taken into surgery where the spike was removed and her arm stitched up.

Donna was released from hospital two weeks after the accident, which took place in June 2002, but was unable to work for nearly a year.

She has undergone five operations and substantial amounts of physiotherapy to regain some movement in her arm but continues to suffer aches and shooting pains.

Following a three-year legal battle, Safeway, now owned by Morrisons, has agreed to pay Donna compensation in an out-of-court settlement believed to be worth thousands of pounds.

The company is understood to have withdrawn its pasta machines from every branch in the country soon after the accident.

Donna, who has been left with an 18cm-long scar and two metal plates in her arm, eventually returned to work at the same store, which has since become a Somerfield.

The ordeal has put her off pasta, which used to be one of her favourite foods.

But, more seriously, she believes it has put an end to her dreams of becoming a professional chef.

The mother-of-one said: "I am pleased this legal battle has finally come to an end. The accident has prevented me from achieving my ultimate goal but I want to try to put this behind me and get on with my life."

Jeff Zindani, a personal injury specialist at Birmingham-based Forum Law, which represented Donna, said: "Donna has suffered terrible injuries which have affected her physically and emotionally.

"This case proves employees can make a stand and successfully call large national organisations to account."

Morrisons declined to comment yesterday.