A SMALL trailer was destroyed and diesel spilled on to the road as an articulated lorry narrowly missed colliding with a car in Skipton Old Road, Colne.

The lorry, carrying a tractor unit, was travelling towards the Hare and Hounds pub at around 9am yesterday when the driver swerved to avoid a car heading in the opposite direction.

The Scania lorry then collided with a parked 4ft by 3ft trailer on the same side of the road, which was destroyed.

Sub officer Dave Gilligan said: "The driver had to decide very quickly whether he hit the car or the trailer so he chose the trailer.

"He had a diesel tank on either side of the lorry and as he colided with the trailer, the impact punctured one of them and diesel spilled on to the road.

"We swilled some of it away but try to contain spillages of fuel so it doesn't get into the water flow.

"We therefore put down absorbent pads to soak it up and Lancashire County Council workmen attended with some sand.

"No-one was injured and the woman in the car had gone when we arrived."

Firefighters directed vehicles around the area affected by the diesel in a single lane until the sand had been spread across over the road.