A lorry driver risked his own life by leaping into a blazing lorry in order to steer it away from shoppers on a busy high street.

The HGV burst into flames in the town centre of Maidstone, Kent, on Wednesday, with 20ft high flames engulfing the lorry trailer.

In extraordinary footage, the lorry driver, 36-year-old Martin Ford, can be seen despairing at the blaze - before heroically jumping into the cab and steering the danger away from the narrow street.

Realising the lorry would set fire to the shop where he was delivering furniture - which was worth £100,000 and was destroyed in the blaze - he decided to take action.