A lorry driver has spoken of his miraculous escape after a concrete footbridge fell on his wagon crushing it to just 12 inches high.

Kevin Harker's load smashed into the walkway, which collapsed and crumpled his cabin like a concertina.

But somehow the 36-year-old managed to get out, and found himself standing outside the mangled wreckage virtually unscathed.

Mr Harker, from Over Dinsdale, near Darlington, said: "I must be the luckiest man in the world."

He was transporting two road digging vehicles on the back of low-loader in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, at around 1pm on Saturday when the accident happened.

As he drove along in blizzards on the Stainton Road dual carriageway, his truck passed safely under the footbridge overhead.

But the jib from one of the Volvo diggers clipped the 25ft-high bridge, causing it to collapse.

Firefighters said two 30ft long, 4ft deep concrete blocks hit the lorry's cab. "The first thing I knew was the cab getting crushed," said Mr Harker.

"I felt it on the back of my head and I was very claustrophobic as a lad so I knew I had to get out."

Mr Harker, who works for a Yarm based truck firm, said: "I heard a woman screaming and I thought there was somebody else injured.

"She said to me, 'How are they going to cut the driver out?' "I said, 'I am the driver'."

He was taken to Middlesbrough General Hospital, where x-rays revealed no injuries apart from bruised ribs and swelling to the back of his head.

Nancy Joughin, 35, witnessed the smash after swerving to avoid the debris in her car.

She said: "I thought he was a goner for sure. But there he was staggering across the road."

Station Officer David Hobson, from Coulby Newham fire station, said: "How he got out alive is beyond me."

Fortunately no one was on the bridge at the time of the collapse.

Police closed off the road and a 100-tonne crane was needed to lift the concrete brought down by the collision.

Middlesbrough Council workmen will be out today clearing up the debris and structural engineer will assess the damage to the bridge.

The stretch of Stainton Way between the Dalby Way and Newham Way roundabouts will be closed until further notice.