Lost wheel hits MandeIson's car
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• The haulage industry appeared to get off to a poor start with the Labour government after one of the party's leading figures nar. rowly escaped death from two loose lorry wheels.
The incident, which occurred on the eve of the general election, involved Labour's campaign head Peter Mandelson as he overtook a lorry on the A19 near Hartlepool.
One of the vehicle's axles collapsed, shedding two wheels—one of which bounced off the road, missing the windscreen of Mandelson's car "by inches", according to a spokesman for the Labour NIP. The wheel then made a large dent in the roof of his car.
Cleveland police are investigating the incident before deciding whether a prosecution should be brought against the operator.
Brake, the campaign for safer lorries, says at least three people are killed each year by commercial vehicle wheel-loss and it wants the Government to research the causes of these accidents.