Woman with pram struck by plank

Lesley Brown was knocked to the ground as the pram with a friend's eight-month-old daughter Sydney inside overturned.

Police are investigating the incident in Bury Road, Bolton, which involved a wagon owned by the housing company Bolton At Home.

A police spokesman said the driver has been reported for carrying an insecure load.

Mrs Brown, aged 26, of Burnmoor Road, Breightmet, is now seeking legal advice after the incident.

She was struck by the plank as she walked with her friend and neighbour Nicola Speakman and her daughters Sydney and two-year-old Charlie, who was in another pram.

After Mrs Brown was hit by the plank Sydney's pram toppled over towards the road.

An ambulance arrived and Mrs Brown was treated at the roadside for minor cuts and bruises. She was not taken to hospital.

Recovering at home she said: "It was a terrifying experience. I wasn't bothered about myself, but it was shocking to think how close one of the children was to being killed."

Building materials which fell from the lorry were scattered on the street, including wood, bags of plastering and kitchen units.

Nicola Speakman said: "The road was a mess and everything was chaotic with cars stopping all around us.

"A lot of parents and children use that road. We wouldn't want anyone else to go through what happened to us. We are on pins every time we walk past that spot now."

"My child could have been seriously injured if she had been sitting in a lightweight buggy."

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said they were investigating, adding: "An accident report has been submitted and we are waiting for it to come back to us."

A spokesman from Bolton At Home said: "We are aware of an accident that occurred.

"We understand that an adult pedestrian was treated on site for minor cuts and bruises, but was able to walk home unassisted.

"We are looking into this incident as a matter of urgency, as it is alleged that the lorry's load was not secure."