A LEARNER driver cheated death after a lorry ploughed into the back of her instructor's car just an hour before her test.

The 21-year-old woman and her instructor Dave Millard were lucky to escape serious injuries after a 12-tonne lorry crashed into their Renault Clio near Trowbridge, as they tried to avoid a head-on smash.

Firefighters called to the A361 at Southwick on Friday lunchtime said if anyone had been in the back seat they would have been killed.

Instructor Mr Millard, 41, said the pupil was forced to brake by a car overtaking a motorbike in the opposite direction.

"The lorry just went into the back of us. It was such a horrific bang," he said.

"It pushed us towards the bushes and we landed straight in them.

"It was nerve-wracking for my pupil. I spoke to her afterwards but whether she will get back in the car and drive again I don't know. She had her test an hour later but she clearly didn't go for it.

"We both suffered whiplash and back injuries but are OK. I am very, very grateful it was not any worse."

Trowbridge sub-officer Mike Jenkins said fire crews had to cut the roof off the car to get to the two occupants.

"They were very lucky as the back of the car was crumpled right up to the seats. If anyone had been in the back they would have had no hope," he said.

"We took them out on spine boards to check they had no injuries and they were taken by ambulance to hospital."

Self-employed Frome instructor Mr Millard, who works for Drivercraft on a franchise-basis, said his car had been written off in the crash his first accident in two years on the job.

"The back bumper is up against the back seat. I haven't even had a scratch on the car before," he said.

"I now have to wait for my neck to loosen up. I can't keep an eye on what my pupils are doing if my neck is stiff.

"I won't have any fears about getting back in the driving seat again but I will be a bit nervous of lorries travelling behind. That stretch of road in Southwick is a nightmare as cars are always speeding through."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash, which happened just after 12.30pm.