A VAN smashed into a bank window, narrowly missing a pensioner standing at a nearby bus stop.

The incident happened outside the Royal Bank of Scotland branch in Blackburn Road, Astley Bridge, at about 11.30am.

The white Ford Transit van had collided with a black BMW at the junction with Birley Street before ploughing through the bank’s front window.

Eyewitnesses said it just missed an elderly woman who was at a nearby bus stop. The driver and passengers of the van fled the scene. Police do not believe anyone suffered injuries in the crash.

Firefighters from Bolton North Fire Station attended the scene and made the van safe. BMW driver Michael Holmes was taking his son Henry, aged 16, back to their Belmont home after a maths GCSE exam at Bury Grammar School. As their car was turning right from Birley Street into Blackburn Road, the van, which was travelling down Blackburn Road towards the town centre, collided with them.

Mr Holmes said: “The inside lane stopped but we could not see the outside lane. As I got past the first set of cars, I saw this van and realised I could not avoid it. He swerved, clipped the car and crashed into the bank. How he has not killed anyone is unbelievable.”

Henry said: “The van came through on red, clipped us, and spun into the bank. They ran off and a couple of people started chasing. It’s surprising no one has been injured. There was an old lady at the bus stop.“I am glad we had not gone any sooner or it could have been far worse. We have had a lucky escape.”

Police said a white Ford Transit van had collided with a black BMW car before colliding with the bank.