SCAFFOLDING more than 20 feet high came crashing on to a Southampton street yesterday at the former Vosper Thornycroft site.

The construction peeled away from the building just before 1pm and smashed on to the road and pavement, narrowly missing a postman.

Eyewitnesses said it was a miracle no one was injured - now site bosses, who rushed to the site yesterday, have launched an investigation.

The dramatic collapse happened near The Ship Inn, in Victoria Road, Woolston, where demolition contractors Brown & Mason were working.

Jeanette Carter, of Victoria Road, said: "I was parking my car as it came crashing down. It was lucky there was nobody hurt."

In the pub, regulars could only watch as it nearly smashed through windows.

Landlord Alex Wilson said: "I was in the kitchen and came out when I heard the thump."

Resident Jamie Pilcher, 32, who lives near the scene, added: "The workmen were going around asking if everyone was all right. I went out and started looking through the mess to see if anyone had been injured," he said.

Site contractors directed traffic away from the fallen scaffolding and queues built up in the area. Police and health and safety experts were also called.

Ken Glendinning from the South East England Development Agency, which snapped up the historic site for £15m earlier this year, immediately

launched an investigation into the accident.

He said: "We are extremely concerned about the incident and a full investigation is under way in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive, Southampton City Council, our main contractor Brown & Mason and sub-contractor Young's Scaffolding Ltd."