Seventy six people suffered injuries – with 28 classed as serious and 48 hurt badly enough to be off work sick for more than three days.

Some 64 of the injuries resulted from slips and trips, and 12 from falls.

The cost of the injuries in Hartlepool is put at £1,342,000, measured in the pain, grief and suffering to those involved in the accident and the loss of work output resulting in sickness.

Those injured in the town were part of 2,196 people in the North East who were also involved in accidents – costing the local economy more than £35m.

Slips, trips and falls in work places accounted for a third of all accidents recorded in the region.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has now launched a campaign in a bid to slash the number of accidents.

Called "Shattered Lives" it aims to halt the alarming figures by showing the devastating consequences that simple trips and falls can have on workers and their families.

Chris Gillies, HSE Principal Inspector in the North East, said: "Each year slips, trips and falls cost British Society nearly £811m. But what these figures don't reflect is the extent to which these injuries affect individual workers and their families.

"Slips, trips and falls can be viewed as being minor, funny accidents but the effects are not.

"It can lead to major injuries, and a lifetime of disability or time off work and in the worst case fatalities.

"Shattered Lives will encourage people to change their attitudes. If you spot a hazard, don't assume somebody else will sort it out.

"Slips, trips and falls also shatter businesses through costs such as employee absence, sick pay and reduced productivity. Irrespective of the size of the business and the job that they do, it could happen to you."

A series of hard-hitting posters detailing the impact that accidents can have on real people's lives are being issued in work places.

For more information on the 'Shattered Lives' campaign please visit hartlepoolmail.co.uk or call 0845 3450055.

* Have you been effected by an accident at work? Call the Mail newsdesk on (01429) 239380 or email mail.news@northeast-press.co.uk

Click here for more information on the Shattered Lives campaign