A CAR careered into roadworks this morning where engineers had earlier been repairing a gas leak.

Emergency crews were called to the incident at about 11.45am on Knowsley Road, near to the Crispy Cod takeaway.

Engineers who had been repairing a leak from an 18-inch gas main were not in the excavation at the time, having returned to their depot.

Police closed the road while the situation was brought under control.

Eccleston watch manager Alan Moore said: “It seems the lady driving the car had tried to avoid a bin wagon travelling in the other direction.

“A wheel of the car ended up in the hole. But it was removed and driveable later.

"Gas engineers had been doing works to repair a low-level gas leak.

“There was never any danger of an explosion or anything like that.”

A spokeswoman for National Grid said the excavation was clearly marked with barriers.

She added: “Fortunately, our guys were not actually there when this happened.”