A shaken driver described how he escaped his car with only seconds to spare before it turned into a blazing inferno.
Danny Nightingale was driving his Volvo S40 along the M53 to his home in Moreton, Wirral, yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon when he heard what he described as a "loud bang" and smoke began pouring from the back of the vehicle.
He managed to pull over from the fast lane into the hard shoulder. He said: "A passing motorist wound down her window to warn us the car was on fire. Me and my mate jumped out and as we were walking away from the car, it went up in flames.
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"It was very close. It happened only 20 to 30 seconds after we got out of the car. I'm counting my blessings today."
Danny, 29, said he had bought the 56-reg Volvo a few months ago and it had only just come out of the garage for maintenance.
After the incident, a driver picked up the pair to take them off the motorway. The car was later recovered and will now have to be scrapped after being left a burnt-out shell by the fierce blaze.
Danny added: "I'm still a bit shaken up by it. It was a very lucky escape and I'm just glad we got out in time."
It is not known at this stage what caused the fire.
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