A police probe was continuing today after a trailer carrying tonnes of metal smashed through garden walls in Shipley where residents said children had been playing only moments before.

People in and around Hirst Wood Road have been surveying the damage after the trailer of the articulated lorry appeared to have come loose.

The trailer, with an estimated 20 tonnes of metal on board, then smashed through two garden walls.

Last night people living nearby said two children had been seen near the walls just before the DH Transports and Sons lorry lost its trailer.

Tommy Lynch, who sent pictures to the Telegraph & Argus of the aftermath of the accident, said it was the first time he had seen a lorry involved in a serious incident in seven years he has lived in the street, even though they regularly go to and from a nearby manufacturing works.

However, he said he believed the incident came close to disaster.

“There was a kid going past on a scooter just beforehand,” he said.

“Some children were seen seconds before past and that’s the worrying thing.”

“We just grateful it wasn’t worse.”

Jennifer Marsden, who lives in nearby Lime Tree Square, said she did not see the incident but had spoken to the children who were near to the walls when it happened.

“A couple of children were walking past and if they had been about five seconds later that would have been it, I think,” she said.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Last night, Dean Holland, who owns Dewsbury-based DH Transport and Sons, said he was on holiday in the south west and had only managed to speak to the driver involved over the phone.

He said the driver has more than 35 years’ experience and there would be an investigation when he returned to Yorkshire.

Mr Holland said a crane had been on site to remove the metal and try to clean up the broken walls.

He said he believed for some reason the trailer rode over the back of the lorry before coming loose.

“Thankfully nobody got hurt and it seems like one of those things,” he said.

“But I won’t really know what happened until I get back to investigate.”

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said officers were investigating the incident, which occurred on Tuesday at about 3.30pm, and appealed for witnesses to call the non-emergency number 101.