A man's house was plunged into darkness this afternoon after bales of hay fell from a lorry and crashed into his home.

Mark Oliver, of Forge House, was sitting in his living room watching the Grand Prix when he heard a crash.

A lorry driving along Ashford Road, in Bethersden, had lost its load near Forge Corner at around 2.15pm.

Around 20 bales smashed into his house, knocking his front wall down.

Mr Oliver, 52, said: "I jumped out my skin. So did the dog.

"It was like the lights had gone out. The windows were completely covered.

"It really shook me up. The plaster has come off the walls and I can't get out the front door - the hay has covered the front of the house."

Mr Oliver said officers, who are helping to clear the road, are arranging for a structural engineer to come out to check the house is safe.

Witness Brenda Brower was driving home after visiting her son when the incident occurred.

She said: "I was two cars behind the lorry. I just couldn't believe it. I was quite shaken.

"The load came off the lorry and hit the house.

"The bales are just lying up against the windows. I knew the man inside would be shaken so I went in to see him."

The load also knocked down a telegraph pole and BT are understood to be on their way to the area.

A police spokesman said: "Traffic is being diverted around the village.

"A wall was damaged and a BT/Telcoms pole was knocked down. Police are still at the scene."