A child was injured after a van crashed into a nursery wall. The youngster suffered minor cuts from flying glass and 40 children were evacuated from the building after the smash outside Little Brook Children’s Nursery in Great Harwood.

The blue van ended up on its side after hitting the wall on Blackburn Road just after 1pm on Tuesday.

The smash demolished a partition wall and sent debris flying through a ground floor window.

Oil from the van spilled on to the road forcing it to close for 90 minutes.

Owner Dawn Hartley said the crash sounded like an "earthquake".

She said: "I was in the office and I had no idea what happened.

"The van hit the wall and it’s caused a lot of damage to the wall. It looks worse than it is because of all the debris.

"There were children inside the nursery but only one had a minor scratch and was treated for it.

"It’s disappointing but at the end of the day it’s a busy road, hence the partition wall."

The nursery was immediately evacuated and parents were called to pick up their children.

Dawn, who has run the nursery for two-and-a-half years, said it was expected to reopen on Thursday, January 10.

She said: "The parents and staff have been amazing and did a great job.

"The children were evacuated straight away and within an hour they had been taken home. We couldn’t have asked anything more from anybody."

A police spokesman said the male driver of the blue van was taken to hospital to be treated for cuts and bruises and that the incident was being investigated.