A TV and radio presenter has thanked a van driver for saving her from being involved in a serious crash on a major road near York earlier today.

Clare Frisby, a BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Look North presenter, was driving along the A64 near Copmanthorpe at around 4am today - when suddenly a car was heading straight for her.

The car was driving on the wrong side of the road - but a "quick thinking" van driver sprung into action and prevented the crash by signalling to Clare with flashing headlights, which gave her chance to get out of the way of the car heading directly for her.

The presenter took to Twitter to thank the van driver this morning: 

The near miss happened as she was on her way to work in Leeds.

Some of her followers took to Twitter to wish her well.

One said: "Good grief I’m so relieved you’re safe but just take time as you may have delayed shock. I was on that junction Tuesday when someone was most confused on it!! Hugs x."

"Blimey, you’re not only reading the news, you ARE the news! Glad you’re safe," said another.

Meanwhile, another shared a similar experience of their own with Clare. They said: "Oh Clare this happened to me on the A64 in Leeds a few years ago near the Go Outdoors I was going into Leeds and a car racing towards me on the wrong carriageway, I only just avoided it and had delayed shock, take care today thank god for the quick thinking van driver."

In a reply to one of the tweets, Clare described the incident as an "unnerving" moment - and said "it all happens in a second."

Clare, who has often made the commute to work in the early hours of the morning, said: "I’ve seen some crazy things over the years driving in at silly o’clock, but never that."

Clare also shared on Twitter that she thinks the car driver got confused on the junction, as the vehicle ended up on the grass.

"That was my last image as it sped past me," she added.

The Northern Echo: Clare Frisby after safely arriving at the BBC studios on Thursday morningClare Frisby after safely arriving at the BBC studios on Thursday morning (Image: BBC)

Clare became a BBC News trainee in London in October 1989 and worked in newsrooms throughout the UK for the BBC and was one of the few female reporters in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War.