By JULIA RAVENSCROFT

A 64-YEAR-OLD man is lucky to be alive after he was run over and left trapped under his own Skoda.

Alan Liptrot, of Cabul Close, Orford, suffered only cuts and bruises and a cracked rib although the car ran over his chest and came to rest on top of him.

Mr Liptrot was leaning inside his bonnet on Appleby Road, Orford, attempting to by-pass his starter motor after the car failed to start on Monday morning.

He said: "I must have leant against the gear stick and put it into first gear because when I got under the bonnet it shot off."

The car careered across the road and although Mr Liptrot tried to jump out of the way his leg got trapped and he was dragged underneath.

The car eventually came to a stop against the kerb and left him trapped with the whole weight of the car resting on top of him.

He said: "I tried to get out of the way so I wouldn't get crushed but my coat was caught and I was dragged. It actually ran over my midriff and then I lay there with the car pressing on my lower back. I knew everything that was going on and I realised there was nothing I could do because I realised when it was moving that I had got caught."

Relatives and neighbours, including his granddaughter Rebecca, came out of nearby houses to try to pull the car off Mr Liptrot but were warned by the fire brigade not to move anything for fear of injuring him any further.

Warrington firefighters arrived on the scene within minutes and released Mr Liptrot from underneath his car and he was taken to hospital.

Speaking from his home on Tuesday, Mr Liptrot said he realised he was very lucky to be alive.

He said: "I've thought about how it could have been worse but when I was under the car I could tell there was nothing serious wrong.

"The incident has given me faith in human nature because people came and helped me. Everybody was so concerned."