PASSERS-BY watched in horror as a car repair garage collapsed into a busy main road after being struck by a JCB early today.

The vehicle struck the workshop at the Hare and Hounds garage at the corner of Newchurch Road and Four Lane Ends, Stacksteads, which then collapsed in on itself just after 9am.

Firefighters from Bacup, Rawtenstall and Accrington, police and paramedics were on the scene in minutes after initial reports claimed someone may be trapped in the wreckage of the building.

Bricks and debris were strewn across Four Lane Ends but the busy Newchurch Road, which connects Waterfoot and Stacksteads, remained open while fire crews were at the scene.

Sub officer Trevor McCoy, from Rawtenstall fire station, said: "Someone was driving a JCB and it struck the corner of the building and the whole thing collapsed in on itself.

"We initially got the call as persons possibly trapped, but when the crew arrived all people were accounted for.

"The building is brick built and is only single storey but it is very large. The roof is now in the middle of the workshop."

Paramedics from Stacksteads attended although were not required to take anybody to hospital.

Fire crews from Bacup and Rawtenstall attended and the Incident Support Unit from Accrington were on the scene.

The building inspector from Rossendale Borough Council was on site today assessing the damage.