It smashed rear-end first through a wall of Valley View Home, Moor End Road, Pellon, and into an office.

Amazingly, no one was hurt.

Owner Beverley Kneafsey said: "My main concern is for my residents and staff. Thank God they are okay."

She said she and manager Julie Beverley would normally have been in the office at the time of the accident but had decided to go shopping.

She said: "Staff in the bedroom next to the office heard an almighty thud and, when they came out and saw what had happened, got the residents to safety.

"When we returned from shopping and saw the staff at the top of the drive and saw the fire engine we thought we had a fire.

"Little did we know what had gone on. It is just unbelievable."

The home was evacuated because the accident put the fire escape and alarm out of action.

The driver of the Focsa lorry, which was collecting waste from the home, had reversed down the steep drive as usual.

It is believed he had put the handbrake on and got out to collect the waste, when the vehicle rolled down the drive.

Residents, most of them 90 or over, were first taken to Higgins Close Day Centre before being moved to seven different care homes.

Mrs Kneafsey, who has owned the home with husband Michael since 1998, said: "Social services have been outstanding."

She also praised staff who had come in on days off to help transport the residents.

PC Bob Sharp said it was extremely lucky no one had been injured.

Calderdale Council's head of older people and disability services, Phil Shire, praised council staff who arranged alternative accommodation.

He said: "Staff responded magnificently and have been contacting residents' families to make sure they are happy with the arrangements."

Focsa would not comment.