A Hornchurch pensioner has spoken of the terrifying moment a brick flew off the back of a truck and smashed into his car windscreen.

Lol Stambrook said he was driving behind the truck in Rainham Road South, Dagenham, on Wednesday morning when he saw the brick fall of the vehicle, fly through the air and hit the windscreen of his Ford Escort.

The 71-year-old was left covered in fragments of glass but escaped unhurt and was able to stop the car safely.

“To see that brick hitting my windscreen was very frightening,” Mr Stambrook, of Alma Avenue, said.

“It actually smashed into the driver’s side, so I was really lucky it wasn’t any worse. The glass could have cut me or I could have crashed the car. Thankfully I was fine, just a little shaken.”

Mr Stambrook contacted police but decided not to push for criminal charges. He said the windscreen would have to be completely replaced and is in talks with the company who own the truck about covering repair costs.

A police spokesman confirmed they had received a call from the pensioner.

She added: “We were advised by the caller that both parties had exchanged details for insurance purposes and that no criminal allegations were being made.”