A MAIN road into York was closed after a nine-tonne lorry left the road and crashed into a ditch.

The lorry driver had to be freed by firefighters when his vehicle left the A166 Stamford Bridge Road and plunged into a ditch during rush-hour at about 8am yesterday.

It travelled about 20 feet from the carriageway and into an 8ft-deep ditch.

Firefighters helped free the man, who was said to have suffered a dislocated knee, which paramedics were able to help with at the scene, a fire service spokesman said.

The road was closed for about an hour from Grimston Bar while the lorry was retrieved from the ditch near to Sledmere Crossing, Dunnington, reopening at about 11.30am.

While the road was shut, diversions were put in place via Church Balk in the village.

The vehicle is understood to be from a plant hire company, police said.

Meanwhile, emergency services were called to Osbaldwick after a car went into the beck near the Derwent Arms at about 5.30pm on Wednesday.

A 71-year-old woman escaped uninjured from the Suzuki. She was not in the vehicle when firefighters arrived and was in the care of paramedics, a fire service spokesman said.

The woman was said to be suffering from shock. Police said they were unsure what caused the accident.