A GYM chain was fined £80,000 after an engineering company executive was almost blinded when a piece of equipment failed.

David Lloyd Leisure, founded by the former British tennis star, admitted health and safety breaches in the accident which injured Mauro Carneiro, 47.

Mr Carneiro was using a Bodycore fitness resistance band when a D-ring holding it in place gave way and he was hit in the eyes.

Teesside Crown Court heard the band was a piece of his own equipment brought in by personal trainer Ian Donaldson, who had bought it off Ebay, and it had not been checked by the company.

Mr Carneiro suffered "catastrophic" injuries, needing seven hours of surgery which could not save the sight in his left eye and left him with badly impaired vision in his right.

The businessman, vice-president of Thyssenkrupp Accessibility Holdings in Stockton, told in a personal statement how he had been left contemplating suicide.

He said: "I was a person who lived a life full of hard work and fun and now it is full of constraints and unpleasant chores."

David Lloyd Leisure admitted failing to discharge a duty contrary to the section 30 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The indictment said the company failed to ensure Mr Carneiro was not exposed to risk during the workout at the David Lloyd Centre at the Tees Barrage, Stockton, on June 7, 2013.

They admitted a further charge of failing to carry out a suitable risk assessment in relation to the same incident.

During the hearing it emerged that a separate civil action brought by Mr Carneiro had been settled to the tune of £1.3m.

In June 2013, Mr Carneiro attended an outdoor personal training session at the Tees Barrage Way centre in Stockton.

The trainer attached three resistance bands to a D-ring with carabineer clips and secured them to a fence post using nylon webbing strap.

He then instructed Mr Carneiro to pull the elastic bands to and away from himself while kneeling on a stability ball.

The stitching in the nylon webbing gave way and the carbineer clips and D-ring recoiled and hit him in the face

James Ageros, QC, for David Lloyd Leisure said: "I would like to apologise to the court and Mr Carneiro for the company committing this offence and the serious injury he suffered."

He said the company had only one previous safety breach after operating for 32 years and having 444.000 members across 91 clubs.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton, QC, imposed a £40,000 fine on each charge and ordered the firm to pay £16,000 costs.

Stockton Council’s cabinet member for housing and community safety, Coun Steve Nelson, said: “This is a tragic case and one that I hope is never repeated again.

"Most people attend gyms to improve their health not to suffer life changing injuries, everyone in this industry has a responsibility to ensure their equipment is maintained and used correctly.”