MOTORISTS had a miracle escape after a van driver sped up the Bournemouth Spur Road the wrong way.

Carl Buxton, 25, and his girlfriend Jeanette were travelling along the south-bound carriageway of the A338 at about 1.10am on Monday when they spotted a white transit van coming towards them.

"We were approaching the Christchurch boundary and didn't see the car until it came round a bend. By that stage it was only a few hundred yards in front of us," said Carl.

"We had been on the road for four a half hours after attending a concert in Derby and couldn't believe what we were seeing. It was like a bad dream.

"The van was travelling very fast and was very close when I slammed on the brakes and swerved. It just missed us by a few inches and we felt a gust of wind rocking our car as the van passed by," said Carl, from Hamworthy, Poole.

"It all happened in a flash. If I hadn't swerved it would have hit us head on. At the speed it was going we wouldn't have stood a chance. Only later did we realise how lucky we had been."

When Carl dropped Jeanette off at her home in Bournemouth she alerted the police who had already received several calls from concerned motorists.

A police spokesman said the van had been spotted earlier travelling towards Bournemouth. "We had reports that it was being driven erratically. About five minutes later there were calls to say that the vehicle had turned round and was travelling the wrong way towards the Ashley Heath roundabout."

Officers were alerted but, by the time they reached the scene, there was no trace of the van.

"We will be continuing our inquiries in a bid to find the driver and appeal to witnesses to get in touch," added the spokesman.

"Such incidents are extremely dangerous and frightening for other motorists. The actions of this driver could have resulted in a serious accident."

Anyone with information should phone 01202 222500.