A WOMAN had a lucky escape yesterday when a bus shelter collapsed on top of her after being hit by a car.

The 26-year-old was buried beneath the rubble but suffered only a broken ankle and a minor head wound.

The accident happened at 6.40am in Gray Terrace, New Kyo, Stanley, County Durham.

The woman, who lives locally, was waiting for a bus outside Sandhole Workingmen's Club when a silver Peugeot 106 failed to negotiate a bend and struck the brick shelter.

Firefighters cleared away debris and lifted the remains of the shelter's roof to reach the woman. She was taken to the University Hospital of North Durham for treatment.

The car driver, from Consett, and his female passenger, from neighbouring Annfield Plain, both 19, were badly shaken but unhurt.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: "The woman was waiting for a bus to go to work when the car came round the bend from Annfield Plain, lost control and hit the shelter.

"She has had a remarkable escape.

"She has been unlucky in one sense, that she was waiting for a bus and, out of the blue, the shelter has been hit by a car.

"On the other hand, she has been very lucky to have escaped with relatively minor injuries. Her injuries could have been much worse."

Watch Manager Alex Green, of High Handenhold Fire Station, said: "The woman was very badly shaken. We had to lift away the roof and rubble around her so that the paramedics could get her out."

Club steward David Brown, said: "I heard the bang. The roof of the bus shelter had come down on top of the woman and the fire brigade had to lift it off to get her out."

Mr Brown said a similar accident happened at the same spot three years ago.

The road was closed for a time while the remains of the shelter were removed by council workers and the car was taken away.

The police spokesman said that the driver would be interviewed in due course by officers investigating the cause of the accident.