The driver was rescued from his cab by the emergency services after the incident early last Friday morning.

Local police confirmed to the Manchester Evening News that the driver had failed an initial breath test at the scene.

The gritter belonged to Balfour Beatty who carry out winter maintenance for the council.

The lorry flipped on to its side after hitting safety bollards at 6am, shedding its load along the road.

It then smashed into the gable wall of a house.

The house’s owner Ken Hammond, 63, said: “There was a huge bang. We were in bed and the picture on the bedroom wall fell down and woke us up.

“We looked out of the bedroom window and the gritter was on its side. The driver was trapped.”

A Balfour spokesman told the MEN: “The safety and security of our employees and of members of the public is always our greatest priority and we are working closely with the police to investigate the exact circumstances of this incident.

“We cannot comment further while this investigation is under way.”