A MAN cheated death after swerving to avoid yobs who had tried to torment him minutes earlier.

Police say 22-year-old ntl engineer Lee Stones was lucky to escape serious injury or death in the crash on Nabcroft Lane in Crosland Moor shortly before 2pm yesterday.

His small van skidded off the road, across a grassy area - leaving deep tyre marks - and then tipped over a steep banking.

As it plunged down the banking the van somersaulted before landing on its roof, wedged between a small wall and a garage.

Lee, who lives in Leeds, scrambled clear with slight back injuries.

Pc Peter Doyle, of Huddersfield traffic police, said: "The driver was very lucky. If the van had overturned a bit earlier the cab could well have been crushed against the small wall causing him serious harm."

Lee and his 24-year-old colleague, Matthew Freeke, had been working at a house on Nabcroft Lane.

They were in separate vans and when they started to pack up their tools to move on to their next jobs they noticed a gang of six hooded youths hanging around in the street.

Lee said at first they started to shout abuse and then began to bang on the side of the vans.

When both engineers came back out, the gang had moved further down the road.

Lee turned his van around and set off towards Blackmoorfoot Road.

He said: "I noticed two of the youths had gone to the other side of the road.

"Just as I was about to pass them they ran out right in front of me.

"I had to swerve or else I'd have hit them.

"The next thing I can remember is crawling out through the passenger window."

Matthew said: "It all happened so quickly.

"I was putting my tools away and looked up to see Lee's van disappearing down the banking.

"I dropped everything and rushed to see if he was OK and was relieved to see the passenger door opening.

"My immediate fear was that the van would burst into flames and blow up, but luckily it didn't. The grass was so wet once Lee had swerved off the road he had no chance of stopping."

The six youths are all white, aged 12 to 15 and wore hooded tops.

Police are anxious to trace them and have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

All fled after the crash.

Pc Doyle added: "These youths caused the driver to lose control. They could have been killed themselves or caused the driver to lose his life."

Contact Pc Doyle on 01484 436847.