A BUSY junction of a town centre ring road was closed for an hour-and-a-half after a Wyre Forest District Council road sweeper overturned in a unique incident.

The district council's commercial services manager Andrew Dickens said the Jack Allen Mini Sweeper flipped over after being hit on the side by a car which cut across its path as it left Kidderminster's Worcester Cross Ring Road. He added the "freak accident", which took place at 10.30am last Thursday, had been "very distressing" for the road sweeper's driver who returned to work the next day.

"It was hit by another vehicle on the junction which unfortunately flipped it over," he said.

"Neither our driver nor the driver of the other vehicle were seriously injured, although our driver suffered shock."

He added: "It's the first time it has happened.

"Sweepers are hinged vehicles so they can turn in the middle for manoeuvrability and because it caught the front of the vehicle it caused it to jackknife and tip."

Selwyn Sheppard, of Stourbridge-based SW Sheppard Commercials which towed the vehicle away using a heavy recovery vehicle with winching equipment, said: "We do a lot of council and police work and I've never had one of these tip over before."

PC David Wright of Kidderminster Police added: "It has caused quite a lot of congestion but people have been patient."