A FEMALE German lorry driver received an unexpected civic visit after her truck became stranded in Bury.

For the local authority pulled out all the stops to help the driver after a stone bollard became wedged underneath her articulated lorry.

The incident happened in the car park at the town's Mosses Centre, just as Bury mayor Councillor John Smith and his driver-attendant Colin Dockery were fulfilling a civic engagement at the same venue.

Mr Dockery summoned council staff to help free the lorry from the bollard. And when the female driver realised she was in the company of the local "burghermeister," she happily posed for a photograph with the mayor.

Commenting on Friday's (Sept 13) incident, Coun Smith said: "Apparently, she was backing the lorry into the Mosses Centre car park when the bollard was jammed underneath. This damaged the air pumps and her brakes went.

"While my attendant phoned the council about the bollard, I chatted to her and cheered her up. People at the Mosses took a digital photograph of us both and gave her a copy. She seemed to go away quite happy."

During the incident, the area around the Mosses Centre was closed off to traffic.