A car lost control on a Borrett Road bend and plunged down a steep ravine this morning

The driver of a luxury Mercedes saloon had a miraculous escape after he smashed his car through barriers and down a cliffside off Borrett Road this morning.

Fire crews and police on the scene said nobody was injured in the crash, which saw the car plunge around 20 feet down the steep ravine. Railings appeared weakened by rust and looked to have played no part in preventing the car leaving the road.

The scene of the accident was yards away from where a motorcyclist was killed by a construction truck just last week.

Traffic was backed up all the way to the end of Borrett Road, and Bowen Road was closed to traffic, during the first full day back to school and the busy school lunchtime rush-hour.

By midday, an hour after the crash was reported, fire crews were waiting for a bigger truck to pull the stuck car free, according to fire crews on the scene.