Production company to be sentenced after Harrison Ford hit by "the weight of a small car" while filming Star Wars at Pinewood Studios

Foodles Production (UK) Ltd made the admission at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court on Tuesday following the incident at Pinewood Studios in Pinewood Road, Iver Heath, in June 2014.

The London based company pleaded guilty to two charges and the case has been transferred to Aylesbury Crown Court on August 22.

Mr Ford, 74, who played Han Solo in the science fiction saga, suffered a broken leg and other injuries when he was struck by a metal door on the set of the Millennium Falcon - a spaceship featured in the Star Wars films.

The actor, who is also famous for his role as Indiana Jones, was airlifted to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford following the incident.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which brought forward the charges, said: “During the filming of Star Wars Episode Seven: The Force Awakens, the actor Harrison Ford was badly injured after he became trapped under a rapidly closing metal-framed door. The power of the door’s drive system was comparable to the weight of a small car.

“This was a foreseeable incident. Foodles Production (UK) Ltd has accepted it failed to protect actors and staff and HSE welcomes the firm’s guilty plea.

“Every employer in every industry has a legal duty to manage risks in the workplace. Risks are part and parcel of everyday life, and this is acknowledged by health and safety law – but they still need to be identified and managed in a proportionate way.

“The British film industry has a world renowned reputation for making exceptional films. Managing on-set risks in a sensible and proportionate way for all actors and staff – regardless of their celebrity status – is vital to protecting both on-screen and off-screen talent, as well as protecting the reputation of the industry.”

The two offences were breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act - meaning the company failed to protect actors and workers.