A film production company has admitted health and safety breaches after Harrison Ford was crushed by a hydraulic door while filming the latest Star Wars movie.

Ford was knocked to the ground and pinned down by the heavy door, which was part of the set of the Millennium Falcon spaceship.

The court heard Ford could have been killed in the incident as he rehearsed during shooting for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire on June 12, 2014.

Ford was airlifted to hospital in Oxford after suffering a broken leg in the incident.

The then 71-year-old was reprising his role as Han Solo when he was crushed by the door, which had been designed to mimic the action of a door on the original set.

Foodles Production (UK) Ltd, which is owned by Disney, admitted two breaches under health and safety law.

Prosecutor Andrew Marshall told Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court that Ford had gone through the door with another actor and hit a button.

He started to walk back through the door, believing the set was not live and that it would not close, but it was remotely operated by another person and as he passed underneath it he was hit in the pelvic area and pinned to the ground.

Mr Marshall said: "It could have killed somebody. The fact that it didn't was because an emergency stop was activated."

The company will be sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court over the breaches, expected to happen on August 22.