A man is lucky to be alive after a tree crashed onto the roof of his car and smashed the passenger side windscreen just inches from his face.

Jack Hartwell said he could have been killed after the tree fell and landed on his car roof as he drove to work along Darenth Hill, in Dartford.

The 22-year-old was just one mile from his work at Barrett Steel in Station Road, in Sutton-at-Hone, when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

He said: “I instantly crouched down, put my head on the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes. Then I heard a massive crash.”

Jack is counting his blessings as when he looked up his side of the car was completely untouched but the passenger side was completely caved in.

Emergency services told him if the tree had landed two inches further to the right Jack might not be alive.

“It could have ended really badly,” he said. “I am lucky to have escaped with minor injuries.”

Jack’s friend also had a lucky escape as he normally drives to work with Jack every day but on Monday he was late so said he would meet him there.

“If he had been in the passenger seat it would have killed him,” Jack said.

Jack, who had been due to start work at 6pm, now has no way to get to work as he lives in Basildon, in Essex and is too scared to get back in a car.

“The idea of getting into a car at the moment is pretty frightening,” he added.

After being treated at the scene Jack has been to hospital as his back and calf were hurting and has since been diagnosed with nerve and tissue damage.

He says he cannot return to work at the moment as it involves heavy-lifting of steel beams and bars and could exacerbate his existing pain.

He said: “I have been off work all week as I am in pain. It is quite a physical job and it could make my injuries worse.”

The white Ford Fiesta is also a write off.

The road was closed off until 7pm as emergency services worked to clear the tree which was blocking the carriageway.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: “We were called at 5.31pm to a report that a tree had fallen on top of a car in Darenth Hill, Dartford.

“Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service but the driver did not require hospital treatment.

“A road closure was put in place while the tree and vehicle were recovered.”