A MECHANIC has relived the moment he came to within an inch of his life when a weight from a crane smashed through a wall near where he was working on a car.

Henry Cullen was underneath a jacked up car in the workshop in Albermarle Road, Taunton, when he heard a huge crash.

"I turned and saw a boulder came past my head a foot or so away," said Mr Cullen. "A couple of inches further across and I wouldn't be here now.

"I turned round and saw a lot of smoke. I thought the car ramp had given way.

"My heart was racing. It was a real shock first thing in the morning."

The incident, at 9.30am yesterday (Wednesday, June 1) left two gaping holes in the wall and badly damaged a customer's BMW, a motorbike and equipment.

It also exposed asbestos in the building, which houses Jones Motors, Kee-Mods and Tanks UK, which had to cancel work for the day.

Richard Thorne, of Tanks UK, who was also working inside at the time, said: "I thought it was a train coming through the wall.

"I ran to the doorway. It all happened so quickly.

"There was an almighty big bang. I thought that was it.

"When I went back in, there was a big hole. It's all a bit shocking."

The crane had been hired by Carillion, which is buiding the nearby Northern Inner Distributor Road between Staplegrove Road and Priory Avenue on behalf of Somerset County Council.

A worker who ran from the scene when he saw what was happening was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital with a suspected broken leg, although it later emerged he only suffered a sprain.

Part of the industrial unit is still sealed off due to the presence of asbestos.

Nick Jones, of Jones Motors, said: "I had a phone call from Henry saying a crane had come through the wall.

"I thought, 'You're the funny one'.

"But when I got in, it was a right state and Henry was shaken up.

Pete Keeble, of Kee-Mods, said: "It's hit our business, which closed for the rest of the day.

"Builders are securing the wall and specialiost contractors are coming in because of the asbestos.

"One of the ramps is out of use because it's in an area that's been cordoned off because of the asbestos."

A spokesperson for Somerset County Council said: “We are aware that an incident involving a crane on the Station Road site during the bridge conversion works took place yesterday.

"Unfortunately one of the operatives working on the bridge suffered injuries that were treated at hospital and there was some damage to a nearby building.

"Somerset County Council’s contractor Carillion will be investigating the situation, but we can confirm that there is no risk to the general public.”