Labour election campaign manager Peter Mandelson narrowly escaped injury in a road accident yesterday.
He was being driven from Teesside Airport to the Hartlepool constituency where he is campaigning to retain his seat when a lorry wheel bounced off the roof of his car.
The wheel fell from the lorry as they were overtaking it in the northbound carriageway of the A19 near Billingham on Teesside.
Mr Mandelson was shaken by the incident, but after making a quick recovery, went on to make a speech in a mock election hustings at a school in Hartlepool.
Mr Mandelson's political assistant, Benjamin Wegg-Prosser said: ''Some wheels were strapped on to the lorry and, as we were overtaking it, they broke free.
''We swerved to avoid it and it clipped the roof at the top of the windscreen directly above Peter's head.
''I dread to think what would have happened if it had hit the windscreen lower down. It was a very unpleasant and scary experience.''
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