A MAN cheated death when a low loader carrying a refuse truck jack-knifed into his garden.

Tom Sourke had to dodge the vehicle and a falling telegraph pole when it came free from its chocks and slid down Colyers Road, Northumberland Heath in a freak accident on Monday afternoon.

The low loader, belonging to Maidstone-based Neil Yates Recovery, had been parked in the road for several hours. It was picking up a broken down refuse truck.

Mr Sourke had come out of his house to have a look at the vehicle moments before it moved.

He had to scramble out of the way, and at the same time dodge a telegraph pole which the low loader knocked down as it turned into his garden. His wife Lydia was watching in horror from the front bedroom window.

Mr Soarke said: "I’m very lucky. They say cats have nine lives. Well, I think I’ve used up one of mine."

The NYR vehicle was held by chocks, and its brakes were locked. But inexplicably, the vehicle began to move, and roll down the sloping road.

After passing Birling Road it began to jack knife to the right, smashing into three garden walls and knocking down a telegraph pole, before coming to a halt.

No one was injured, although the residents of one of the affected houses had a fright.

Mr Sourke said: "I ran between the cars in my drive. Wires from the telegraph pole were on my neck. The pole had fallen down. It all happened so quickly."