A Shropshire family had a lucky escape when a lorry cab came off the road and ploughed into their property before leaking enough diesel to fill eight family cars into a nearby stream.

Ron Phillips, 70, said there was a “loud grating noise” as the cab struck his home at Broughall, near Whitchurch, yesterday. The cab was being towed by a lorry on the A525 when it went through a fence before tearing down his front wall.

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The collision caused some structural damage but no-one was injured.

“It gave my wife Jean a big shock in the house,” said Mr Phillips.

“About 150 feet of fencing and stone walling was demolished so our home insurance company will be getting a big bill.

“We’ve had these types of incidents happen before but this was one of the more serious ones.”

The crash caused about 400 litres of diesel oil to spill out of the vehicle and firefighters were forced to build a soil bank to stop it seeping into a nearby stream.

Today Environment Agency officials were at the site today to check the water for any fuel that may have made it into the water.

A spokesman said: “The action we took last night was to deploy absorbent pads to mop up any diesel and we will be checking whether any fuel has made it downstream later today.”

Sub-officer Mike Beach, from Whitchurch fire station, said the lorry was being towed along when it left the road and collided with Mr Phillips’ property.

He said: “He’s got one or two broken windows with the brickwork flying about.

“There was a lot of diesel spillage. Possibly up to 400 litres of diesel.

“There is a stream close by so the Environment Agency were informed,” he added.

Mr Beach said firefighters were called at 12.50pm and were on scene for 50 minutes.

Maria Hawkaluk, for West Mercia Police, said temporary traffic diversions towards Nantwich were used until the lorry cab was recovered.

She urged anyone who witnessed the crash or saw the lorry being driven in the area to get in touch on 03003 333000.

By Tom Johannsen