A DRIVER who veered off a busy road while distracted by a wasp escaped injury, despite smashing into the back of a parked car.

James Martin was involved in the dramatic crash in Wigan Road, Westhoughton, shortly before noon on Saturday.

The 25-year-old, who was travelling up from Dorset to visit his girlfriend's family, ploughed into the back of a parked car outside a row of terraced houses after losing control of his vehicle while trying to swat the insect away.

Mr Martin said: "I was coming down the road and a wasp flew into the car. As I tried to get it off me, I veered off the road and went into the back of the parked Corsa.

"I live down in Dorset and have just come up for the weekend to visit my girlfriend's parents. It's not a great start to the weekend, but at least nobody was hurt."

Police officers were at the scene to direct traffic around Mr Martin's wrecked Peugeot.

Nearby resident Sue Dougall, aged 37, said: "I heard it as it happened. He has gone into the back of a parked car and pushed it two doors down the street.

"The same thing happened to my car about eight years ago. It ended up in a neighbour's garden when someone went into the back of it. 

"My kids play out here on their scooters and could have been out here at the time. It's lucky nobody was hurt."

Cllr Anne-Marie Watters said she is worried about the number of accidents on the road, where there is a 30mph speed limit.

She added: "My concern is that the road is getting very dangerous and we need to be doing something about it.

"Thank God nobody was hurt this time, because it could have been a lot worse. I would panic too if there was a wasp in the car."