Harrison Ford airlifted to hospital from set of Star Wars after 'breaking ankle and suffering chest injuries' when he was hit by the door of his Millennium Falcon

Actor, 71, was filming at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, last night



Spaceship door 'fell on Ford fracturing his ankle', he was airlifted to hospital

Treated on the ground then flown to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford



Star is undergoing tests to see if he has injured his chest at specialist unit

Producers of the new film insist filming will go ahead as planned



Incident being investigated by Health and Safety Executive

Nurse has sparked probe after tweeting about actor's medical notes



Flying Solo: Harrison Ford, pictured in London on Thursday, may take weeks to recover amid reports he has a pelvic injury and needed a chest x-ray

Harrison Ford has been airlifted to hospital after the Millennium Falcon spaceship crushed his ankle in an accident on the set of the latest Star Wars film.

The actor, 71, clutched his chest in pain as crew members rushed to free him from underneath the prop's hydraulic door, a source revealed.



He was then stretchered off set and flown to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, which specialises in fractures.

Producers are now hastily rescheduling shoots to allow for what could be a lengthy absence for the actor.

The incident, at the start of an evening shoot in Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, last night, came just days after fans learned the Millennium Falcon ship - piloted by Ford's character Han Solo - would appear in the new film.

Reprising his buccaneering role from the early films for Star Wars: Episode VII, it is believed Ford was about to start a scene involving the 111ft vehicle.



'Harris was hit by the door and looked in a bad way and was clutching his chest when he was on the stretcher,' a source told The Mirror.

The source added that he was in 'a lot of pain' and his foot appeared 'damaged'.



Ford is now recovering in the trauma unit of the hospital.

It is thought he fractured his ankle and is awaiting results of further tests to see if he suffered injuries to his chest.

But while the actor's agent refuses to release any details of his condition, one staff member on the specialist unit could not resist tweeting about her star patient.

The nurse - who calls herself Blonde Miss Bond - sparked a probe when she posted a public tweet saying: 'Surreal experience to have Harrison Ford's medical notes in the office.'

The medic, who states on her Twitter account that she lives in Oxford and Podgorica in Montenegro, has now set her page to private.

A spokesman for the hospital said: 'We would have to verify the tweet and we would look into it.'



A source told the Hollywood Reporter that Ford had been injured by the door of the Millennium Falcon.

Culprit: Ford injured himself on a prop Millennium Falcon, the spacecraft piloted by Ford's Han Solo character - but health and safety experts are now bring a prosecution against Foodles Production (UK) Ltd

Revelation: The incident came just days after fans learned the Millennium Falcon will be in Star Wars: Episode VII. Director JJ Abrams shared this cryptic, tongue-in-cheek note on what appears to be the prop

Police said a 71-year-old man had been injured by a garage door, and have not commented on the spaceship claims.



A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said officers were called to the scene of the accident.

He said: ‘We were called to Pinewood studios at 5.05pm after reports of a 71-year-old man being injured by a garage door.’

The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation into the incident.



A spokesperson said: ‘We have been made aware of an incident at Pinewood studios and are making initial enquiries.’

Ford could be entitled to claim money on the film’s insurance if the door was found to be at fault.



Scene: The actor was filming at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire (pictured) when a hydraulic door fell and hit him

To the rescue: The air ambulance took him to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, which has a trauma unit that specialises in fractures

A spokesman for the film’s producers Disney said: ‘Harrison Ford sustained an ankle injury during filming today on the set of Star Wars: Episode VII.

'He was taken to a local hospital and is receiving care. Shooting will continue as planned while he recuperates.’

A representative for Ford was not available for comment.

It is nearly 40 years since Ford starred in the first Star Wars film in 1977.

Star Wars: Episode VII, which is being directed by JJ Abrams, began filming in Abu Dhabi in mid-May.

The action is set 35 years after the last film they all appeared in together - 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

Spotted: A fan spotted the actor shopping in a branch of Whole Foods Market (left) hours before his accident at last night. Last week, he was pictured walking through Soho with director J.J. Abrams (right) between shoots



Original: Ford as Han Solo with Chewbacca in the 1977 original movie

It will be the first Star Wars title released by Disney, after creator George Lucas sold the rights to the franchise in 2012.

Mark Hamill, 62, who played the original Luke Skywalker, and Carrie Fisher, 57, who played Princess Leia, will also be reprising their roles.

When it was rumoured that Ford may take part in a fifth Indiana Jones film last year, the American actor shrugged of accusations he is too old to take on the action role.

He said: ‘I don’t think there is any barrier to Indiana Jones being an old fart. I’m old enough that we don’t need [Sean] Connery anymore – I’m old enough to play my own father.’

Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled for release in December next year.

