TWO people had a "miraculous" escape today when a young driver lost control of a car, swerved across a main road, into a lamp post, through a tree and into railings.

Firefighters who attended the scene in Glen View Road, Burnley, said the electric light then crashed over and into the bottom of the car in one of the worst accidents they had seen.

But the driver and passenger, whose names have not been released by police, walked away without serious injury. Sub-officer Peter Latham, of Burnley Fire and Rescue, said: "We didn't really need to do anything because the lads were already out.

"The passenger was walking around with just a small cut to his head and the driver was in the ambulance being treated for shock.

"The engine of the car was on the other side of the road and all that was left of the vehicle was a squashed shell. There were parts of trees and and other debris all over the road."

He added: "It really is a miracle how these two lads weren't more seriously hurt.

"It's the worst accident I have seen in many years and I have seen a few. They are very lucky that they weren't killed."

Police said the driver of the Peugeot 206 lost control close to the junction with Todmorden Road at 3am.

The vehicle then failed to negotiate a bend, swerved to the other side of the road and into the lamp post.

It then smashed head on into a tree, breaking it in half, before ploughing into some railings.

Both men were taken to Burnley General Hospital for a checkup.

The fire service's incident support unit from Accrington also attended the accident.

The road remained closed for several hours while police arranged for the vehicle to be recovered and for electricians to make the lamp post safe.