A family had a lucky escape when a tanker smashed through a series of parked cars and destroyed their garden wall in Eastleigh.

Seamus Larkin, of Southampton Road, said: "We heard a terrible noise and saw this car had come through the wall and into the garden.

"My daughter Erin was sat by the front window watching television. I just feel lucky that the lorry wasn't going any faster. Bricks already came up to the house and any more speed or power could have sent them through the window."

Residents of Southampton Road helped with the clean-up operation after the waste disposal tanker, which was heading into the town centre, left a trail of wreckage.

Up to eight cars were damaged in the accident.

"It's a notorious road and it's just lucky no one was hurt," added Mr Larkin. "I took the decision years ago to make space to park my car behind the house. Most of these belong to commuters using the airport or train station."

Police handed out information packs to residents whose vehicles were damaged in the crash before they were taken away.

"We've only just paid the tax," said Pam Coak, whose husband's car was in the middle of the row of damaged vehicles. "This road is just not wide enough for large vehicles."

PC Peter Johnson confirmed that the driver of the tanker, which was from Cleansing Waste Service Group Ltd in Botley, would be questioned about the incident at a later date.

"The lorry seems to be in a road-worthy condition before the accident. The problem was that when it hit the first car the steering jammed so it could not turn right and correct itself, so it carried on into the other vehicles," he said.

Traffic into Eastleigh ground to a halt during the clear-up and the accident yesterday afternoon also had knock-on effects for the airport and M27.

Lorry owners Cleansing Waste Service Group Ltd were unable to comment on the accident.