A MOTHER and her three-month-old baby were nearly crushed after a trailer broke away from its van.

Eleanor O'Callaghan was walking in Silver End yesterday (February 24) when a 12 ft, one tonne trailer broke away from the car pulling it.

CCTV captured the terrifying ordeal.

Eleanor said the incident "could have been fatal" but the pair were not hurt.

Eleanor said: "I was taking my baby for a walk to the duck pond and as I was about to cross the road the trailer was turning the corner and it snapped off the back of the van that was pulling it.

"It mounted the curb and took the buggy with it; I didn’t let go of the buggy because the thing was huge, and I didn't want my baby to fall out.

"I don’t know how we weren’t hurt, if we were standing differently or if that were an elderly person it could have been fatal.

"The ordeal was a shock to all who witnessed and I have been left traumatised, a local residents CCTV picked up the entire incident."

The incident has been reported to police.