SPLIT second evasive action miraculously saved the life of a Bolton motorist, when a lamp post crashed through the roof of his car.

Jet-lagged Andrew Thompson dozed off at the wheel of his car and awoke to the sound of crashing glass and the sight of the concrete post coming towards his head.

Somehow, in an amazing speed of thought, the 47-year-old estate agent slid his body under the steering wheel, just in time to hear the post smash through the BMW convertible, landing with a thud on the head rest of his seat.

Dazed and shaken by his escape, Andrew managed to climb out of the car through a window, only to be asked minutes later by the fire crew arriving on the scene if the body of the driver had been removed by paramedics!

Andrew said: "I told them I had been driving, but they couldn't believe anyone could have escaped alive."

The accident happened on Chorley Old Road, near to the junction with Burnham Avenue earlier this week.

Andrew added: "If people do have nine lives, I would have used up eight of them on that night.

"Looking at the car you could not believe a human body could ever get out in one piece."

However, Andrew of Meadowfield, Lostock, is now keen to warn others of how jet lag almost cost him his life.

He said: "I arrived back from America at 8.30 that morning, and went into work at 10.30am. I worked until 7.15pm that evening, went home, had a light meal and gave my son a lift.

"It was on my way back home that I fell asleep. Within 10 minutes from feeling okay but a little tired, I felt absolutely shot at.

"It hit me that quickly. To combat my tiredness, I wound down all the windows to make it really breezy in the car.

"The next thing I remember is opening my eyes to find the car moving forward and glass shattering everywhere. I then saw the lamppost heading straight for me.

"I remember the noise - the metal crunching and the glass shattering. The engine got shunted into the car.

"I was later told that if the car had been hit side on, it would have been cut in two, and there would have been no where for me to hide.

"I used up every bit of luck I had on that night. God must have been smiling down on me.

"Straight after the accident I felt okay, but the following day I saw the car and it has bothered me ever since. The day after that, a car came fairly close to me while I was driving. There was no danger, but I felt terrible and when I got home I broke down and was trembling - it must have been some sort of delayed shock."

The only injury Andrew suffered on the night was a slightly stiff neck, but the following day he slipped on a step, came down with a jolt, and even that slight injury disappeared! That was during a corporate day at York Races - from which Andrew also emerged £55 better off.

He smiled: "It really seems that it's been my week."

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