A COUNCIL worker had a lucky escape when their roadsweeping machine went up in flames on a city street.

A council spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday (October 15): “One of our road sweepers unfortunately caught fire earlier this morning whilst operating in the Belmont area of Hereford.

“Thankfully, the member of our team operating the vehicle was alerted to the situation by a member of the public who we would like to express our sincere gratitude to.

“The operator was able to safely evacuate the vehicle and the incident was quickly dealt with by the fire service.

“Our teams will work to recover the vehicle from The Oval as soon as possible and assess the road for any necessary repairs.

“No disruption to traffic flow is expected and Belmont Road nearby remains open.

“Events like this are extremely rare and we are grateful to the member of the public who alerted the member of our team and to Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service who attended.”