A DRIVER had a lucky escape after his lorry was blown over in high winds.

The 42-year-old had been driving the Perry’s Recycling lorry along the A37 from Yeovil to Dorchester when high winds caught the material-sided lorry and it toppled over about 9.30am yesterday.

Rescuers said the driver was ejected from the cab and became trapped underneath by his arm.

The road was closed in both directions for nearly four hours while the emergency services worked at the scene on Hog Cliff Hill near to the junctions for Maiden Newton.

Ambulance crews who got there first called for assistance from Dorset Police to close the road and divert traffic while the man was released from the vehicle by Dorset Fire and Rescue Service crew using airbags to raise the vehicle.

Fire crews from Dorchester and Weymouth attended.

The driver, from Yetmins-ter near Sherborne, suffered minor injuries to his arm when the lorry fell onto the passenger side, damaging some fencing on farmland.

Speaking at the scene, Sergeant Joe Pardey from Dorset Police said the driver had a lucky escape.

He said: “We believe the lorry was caught by high winds that were blowing. They caused the lorry to go onto the verge and lose control. He was very lucky. It could have been an awful lot worse.”

The road was reopened at 1.15pm.

Couple have lucky escape as tree topples

A DORCHESTER couple told how they heard a huge bang as a tree hit their house.

Ieuan and Janet Adlam-Hill were at the back of their house in Queen’s Avenue yesterday when a tree outside was ripped from the ground by high winds and fell into their house, buckling a garden fence and damaging roof tiles.

Luckily no windows were smashed and the couple said they were fine.

Mrs Adlam-Hill said: “At 11am we heard a huge bang. We were both at the back of the house and absolutely fine.”

She added: “Everyone has been very kind. An ambulance was here in 10 minutes to see if we were okay, people have been so kind.

“We are tremendously grateful to everyone who has called and asked if we need help or done things.” Dorset County Council look after the trees and Piddlehinton company Knighton Countryside Manag-ement were on the scene yesterday clearing brush from the branches and securing the tree. More work will be done today to demolish the tree.

A spokesman for the company said: “We have been taking the brush down and making it all safe.”

He added: “No windows were smashed.”

Workers from Southern Gas Network were on hand because when the tree fell, a gas pipe underneath was lifted up by the roots. The gas was shut off as a safety precaution.

A spokesman for Southern Gas Network said: “The gas was turned off as a safety precaution. The gas will be turned back on when the tree is moved.”