Dramatic footage shows how a young girl playing on a driveway narrowly avoided being hit by a falling crane.

It happened on Saturday morning as a large metal container was being lifted opposite a house in Wigan.

The girl is seen riding her bike when an adult suddenly urges her to run as the load hovers ominously closer.

Seconds later, the lorry carrying the crane topples over and smashes the container down on the drive.

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The girl ran off just as it became clear something was going wrong

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The lorry carrying the crane toppled seconds later

It was a miraculous escape as there have been no reports of injuries, but the crane caved in a bedroom wall and was left embedded in the house.

The cause of the fall is unclear, however the North West was one of the areas affected by the high winds of Storm Kathleen at the weekend.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue said a crew from Atherton had gone to the scene and isolated the house’s gas and electricity and cleared fuel from the road.

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“The scene has now been left with GMP (Greater Manchester Police) and the crane operating company to arrange recovery of the crane,” it said.

“The occupants are being supported by the local authority to find temporary accommodation.”

Footage posted on X later on Saturday afternoon showed the crane being lifted from the front of the house.