IT was the terrifying moment when residents were woken by the Moscow State Circus crashing into their block of flats.

The large trailer carrying the circus’ portable ticket office mounted the curb, ploughed through the pavement’s railings and ended up wedged into the front wall.

Its impact knocked out bricks and caused massive cracks after the trailer became separated from the lorry carrying it.

One woman on the footpath had a lucky escape as the trailer missed her by “an inch” according to witnesses.

Residents living in Avalon House, Bitterne Road West, Southampton, have today spoken of the crash.

Soraya Youssif, 27, said: “I thought that the petrol station next door had blown up.”

Her partner Anthony Perryman, 29, an electrician, said: “I saw the front wheel spinning outside the front room. We thought the building was going to collapse as I could see the middle of the trailer had gone into the flat above.”

The couple fled their flat with children Marco, aged two, and Keavy, aged three.

A makeshift rest centre was set up at the nearby Accolade Health and Fitness Club.

Holistic therapist Jo Bunney, 39, and her sons Jack 13, and Sam, 11, were among the 20 residents evacuated from the seven flats. She said: “It was the most bizarre sound. It was like this rumbling bang. I looked out to see whether they were doing work at the BP garage.”

Accolade’s fitness manager Audley Fraser and fitness instructor Rachael Buckman witnessed the accident.

“I heard a scraping noise and the railings broke down like matchsticks,” said Audley.

The Daily Echo understands the first floor flat that the trailer crashed into, where a mother and her child are believed to live, was empty at the time.

First Wessex Housing Group, which owns the flats, last night arranged accommodation for all residents.

Peter Walters, the group’s chief executive, said that once a full structural survey is completed today it may be possible for residents of four of the flats to return home.

Circus spokesman John Haze said: “We have launched an inquiry to make sure this never happens again.”

Police arrested the lorry driver on suspicion of using a motor vehicle in a condition likely to cause danger.

Anyone who saw the accident yesterday near the junction with Rampart Road at 6.05am, should call Totton Roads Policing Unit on 101.