Frederick Roebuck (61) was left with the debilitating condition known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or Vibration White Finger after using a vibrating tool for up to five hours a day in his job as manufacturer.

His employer, Kirkby-based Charcon Tunnels, admitted liability after Mr Roebuck's union, the GMB, asked for compensation and bosses offered him the sum as part of an out-of-court settlement.

His condition, which was diagnosed last year, means Mr Roebuck suffers pain in his hands and cannot undertake simple tasks such as trimming the hedge or buttoning his grandchildren's clothes, as well as leisure activities like darts and pool.

The condition is an industrial injury which affects people who have operated hand-held vibrating power tools over a number of years.

Symptoms include numbness in the fingertips, discolouration of the skin and pain in the hands, arms and fingers.

Mr Roebuck still works for Charcon Tunnels, which makes cement segments used in underground tunnels, although he does not operate vibrating tools anymore.

"I put the problems with my hands down to poor circulation and age," he told Chad.

"I never thought I could get Vibration White Finger — I believed it only affected miners.

"But in 2006, my fingers started going white and when I was pokering, they would cramp up and go numb.

"I would have to stop what I was doing and shake my hands to get the circulation back into them."

This week, a spokesman from Tarmac, which owns Charcon Tunnels, said: "We cannot comment on individual cases."