MOTORWAY contractors were today blamed when a heavy rock smashed through a farmhouse roof after a "controlled" explosion over 300 yards away.

Mr Bill Parker, of Peel Fold Farm, Knuzden, was horrified to discover a gaping hole in his roof after being warned that blasting was taking place yesterday afternoon.

"It's frightening," said Bill, 65. "If that had hit anyone it would have killed them straight away.

"It smashed through stone slates, a slate lath and then broke a strip light in two in the loft."

Bill later recovered the two halves of the missile and weighed them.

"They were over six pounds," he added.

Bill's farm is one of the closest properties to the motorway in Knuzden but his buildings are only yards from a densely-populated estate.

He added that previous blasting work had caused cracks in his property and he had heard the sound of stones dropping in nearby trees. Land close to the motorway site is regularly used by local people to walk their dogs.

The Highways Agency, which contracts the motorway construction work to Balfour Beatty, was today investigating the incident but was unable to make a comment.

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