Nottingham Magistrates' Court heard how on August 30, 2007, the contractor at the Trinity Square site drove a cherry picker over a concealed man hole cover.

The cover gave way under the weight of the machine and the cherry picker toppled over, leaving its driver with serious injuries to his skull, back and legs.

Following the incident, Milton Street in the city centre was blocked off for almost six hours.

Yesterday, York-based firm Shepherd Construction Limited pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety at work regulations.

Magistrates fined it £20,000 and ordered it to pay £6,900 costs.