A LORRY driver who walked away from a crash in which his 30-tonne lorry crashed into a bridge on the A64 is expected to return home from hospital today.

The driver only suffered a broken bone in his chest in the smash which almost completely destroyed the cab of his lorry and closed the road near Malton for several hours on Tuesday.

The Clive Warcup hauliers vehicle, which was carrying grain, has been deemed a “total loss” by insurers, company owner Clive Warcup said.

Mr Warcup said: “The good news is I have spoken to the driver.

“He is in hospital in York, and he tells me he has a broken bone in his chest and he is anticipating he will be released [today].

“It’s very good news.

“With any accident the first concern is for the people involved -–it’s obviously pleasing he is going to be okay.

“These modern vehicles are very well designed and the space the driver works in is very well protected and this has been demonstrated by the way this guy has climbed out straight after with very little injury.

“He told me he had a conversation with the first motorist on the scene who asked if he was all right.

“He was able to climb out himself and walk on the road.”

The vehicle hit the Castle Howard bridge two miles from Malton at about 2.25pm on Tuesday.

The crash caused extensive damage and closed the westbound carriageway of the A64.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance was called and police said they feared the worst.

The 47-year-old driver, who is from the Bridlington area, was airlifted to York Hospital.

But by the evening he was said to be sitting up in bed.

Meanwhile, one of the first motorists on the scene has described her amazement at seeing the driver emerge from the wreckage of the lorry.

Stephanie Henshaw said: “The police officers said he had been amazingly lucky.

“When they brought him out the cab I couldn’t believe my eyes that he had actually walked.”

She said the decision was made to take him to hospital by helicopter as emergency services feared he had internal injuries.

Any witnesses to the accident are asked to phone North Yorkshire Police on 101.