THE manager of a car showroom in Whitefield feared for his vehicles when a container fell from a truck on the road outside.

Jack Stone, who runs the Radcliffe Car Centre in Radcliffe New Road, said his first thoughts were with his vehicles parked outside when the trucks trailer gave way as it was about to cross the roundabout at the junction with Dales Lane.

At around 8.30am on Thursday, the trailer broke free from the front end of the truck, which was travelling in the direction of Manchester, and the container slid from it, partially onto the carriageway. The container was then dragged 50 feet along the road, blocking one half of Radcliffe New Road.

Mr Stone said: "I had just arrived at work when it happened and straight away I made sure the cars had not been damaged. It could have been a disaster if the container had fallen off sideways, and hit a vehicle or a person. It was rush hour, so it was lucky that nothing serious happened.

"I didnt hear the container fall, but a man bringing his car to the garage arrived just as it did, and said it was so loud it shook the foundations."

Traffic police arrived at the scene within minutes of the incident to help direct traffic around the vehicle.