A BOLTON builder was aghast when he saw a man travelling in a car holding a set of ladders out of the window.

Steve Wignall, who runs Lancashire Construction, spotted the potentially catastrophic scene on St Peter's Way in Bolton.

The man, a back seat passenger, was seen on Tuesday morning with the window of the blue car open and his arm outstretched and holding onto the large set of ladders.

Another man was driving the vehicle.

Mr Wignall, who lives in Edgworth, said: "It was on St Peter's Way.

"Just as you come past Toys R Us, we spotted him there.

"Okay, it looks funny but I was a bit annoyed.

"I've got two young kiddies and there's a potential there for a really bad road traffic accident.

"It's not what you expect to see on the dual carriageway coming out of Bolton."

The speed limit on the busy A666, which runs from Pendlebury, Salford, in the south to Langho, Ribble Valley, via Bolton and Blackburn, is 50mph.

Father-of-two Mr Wignall has run his construction business for two years but has been in the building trade for 20 years and says he is well aware of the strict health and safety rules in place to protect himself, workers and others.

Mr Wignall, who posted the photograph on Twitter, added: "You would normally put them in a van but if it wasn't big enough, there are roof bars you can use that are specifically for ladders."

One Twitter user described the men as "jokers".