A couple had a lucky escape when a car crashed, sending a concrete post flying through a window of their home.

The car’s engine also broke loose in the collision and smashed into a parked vehicle, forcing the busy main road to be closed.

Peter and Anne Elphick, were in bed when the post smashed through the bathroom window of their bungalow, in Grizedale Close, Doffcocker, which backs on to Moss Bank Way.

The couple woke to find debris scattered across their garden after the car ploughed into their fence, knocking over a lamp post, before coming to rest further down the street.

Parts of the vehicle were strewn across Moss Bank Way yesterday morning, with the engine smashing into a car on the opposite side of the road.

The driver of the Audi coupe, which crashed at around 7am, was taken to hospital with minor injuries. No one else was hurt in the accident.

Moss Bank Way was shut for more than two hours while emergency service dealt with the incident.

It is the second crash outside the Elphick’s home in a matter of weeks after a car destroyed three fence panels and the lamp post last month. Mr Elphick, aged 63, said: “We’ve lived here for 20 years and it’s never happened before but now twice in three weeks.

“It’s worrying and I’m concerned if it happens again a car will come through the house.

“I hope it’s just a freak occurrence. It’s very lucky no one was hurt.”

Mr Elphick estimates the cost of the repairs will be around £1,000.

Debris from the Audi, which was travelling out of Bolton, also flew across the road, damaging the front of a 59-plate Ford Focus in a parking bay.

Moss Bank Way was closed between Captain’s Clough Road and Chorley Old Road until 9.40am, causing huge disruption. Police are investigating the cause of the accident and a Bolton man has been charged with drink driving and will appear at Bolton Magistrates Court on Friday, March 12.

cherry.thomas@ theboltonnews.co.uk