The dented brickwork and smashed glass from the scaffold into the building - Credit: Bruno Brown

A man said "it was like a bomb going off" when a van crashed into the scaffolding at the front of his home.

Matt Smith, who has rented the house on Saxon Road in Great Yarmouth for three years, said he had just got to sleep at the moment of impact at about 8.50am on Sunday..

Mr Smith said: "I'd just managed to get to sleep when suddenly there was a big bang.

"I got such a fright, everything was normal, and then suddenly there was a massive bang with glass smashing - crikey, it was like a bomb going off."

Scaffolders and firefighters in the cherry picker to remove the scaffold from the front of the building - Credit: Bruno Brown

Mr Smith and his partner were annoyed by the inconvenience the caused by the accident but were glad nobody was hurt.

Mr Smith: "I got such a fright, the driver said he was only going about 10 miles an hour, we can only take his word for it - accidents happen of course.

"But we have large delivery vans coming up and down our small road quite regularly with no problems.

"But I was glad my partner, neighbours and of course the driver was okay - I even made him a cup of tea before calling the police.

"Nothing ever happens on this street, this is one the last things I expected to happen to me on a Sunday morning."

A scaffold pole smashed through the glass above Mr Smith's door - Credit: Sonya Duncan

A fire crew from Great Yarmouth, an aerial ladder and support pump from Earlham and the Urban Search and Rescue Team were in attendance.

The fire crew were supporting the scaffolding company in safely deconstructing the scaffold attached to the front of Mr Smith's home and to free the van.

The fire Service's aerial ladder, allowing scaffolders and firefighters to get over the obstructing white van (bottom right) to safely clear the scaffold - Credit: Bruno Brown

Incident commander for Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service, Roger Mitchell, speaking at the scene, said: "We are lucky enough to have some specialist crews in Norfolk.

"We have carefully taken down the scaffolding – with the scaffolding company - and a cordon will be put in place around the loose brickwork.

"Building control have accessed it and it looks like the structure of the house does appear to be sound.

"Now we will hand the scene over to the police."