A DELIVERY driver had a morning to forget as he took a tumble after his van began careering towards parked cars on an icy Poole road.

Berkeley Avenue resident Andrea Pellegrini was getting ready to travel to Broadstone for pantomime rehearsals with a friend as snow and ice caked roads the BCP region and beyond on Sunday.

However, her morning was set to take a panto-like twist when a driver arrived to deliver a Christmas present Andrea was expecting – with the following events being captured on her home CCTV system.

Andrea told the Echo: “The road can get really bad in the winter with ice. It dips down because right at the bottom is Bourne Valley, kids often go down on their sledges.

“I was getting ready to go to a pantomime rehearsal in Broadstone when I saw him drive up. I was expecting a few parcels so thought it would be for me. He got out the van and came to give me my parcel.

Bournemouth Echo: Andrea Pellegrini goes to greet delivery driver while van begins rolling down the roadAndrea Pellegrini goes to greet delivery driver while van begins rolling down the road (Image: Pellegrini family)

“I didn’t notice what was happening until my neighbour, who was scraping ice off his car, shouted ‘mate, your van’ – we looked round and saw it rolling down the hill. I just thought ‘Oh my god it’s going to hit so many cars’.”

The driver then ran to catch up with his cruising van before slipping on the icy road and dropping a piece of delivery kit.

He quickly regained his composure and was able to jump into the van and prevent it from going any further – apparently stopping “with a few inches to spare” from a parked car.

Bournemouth Echo: Driver falls trying to chase rolling van in PooleDriver falls trying to chase rolling van in Poole (Image: Pellegrini family)

According to Andrea, the handbrake had been put on but the load of the van may have resulted in the tyres losing grip.

Andrea, 47, also chased after the van and said the incident was “too much action for one Sunday morning”.

The dramatic encounter was filmed on Andrea’s home CCTV system and was actually watched live by her husband Paul who is working abroad.

Again, much like a pantomime, Paul was shouting “behind you” at his computer screen before texting his wife the footage.

Andrea said the driver was unhurt and saw the funny side of the near miss. She added: “When we fell he dropped the pad used to take pictures of the delivery. I picked it up and once he managed to get his vehicle back I gave it to him only for him to say he still needed to take the photograph to confirm delivery. What a pro.”