A 27-year-old driver has relived the moment she narrowly escaped from her car to watch it burst into flames and become completely engulfed by fire.

Melissa Taylor was minutes away from home when her car began to struggle along the A30.

The health care assistant said she managed to pull into a layby just as thick black smoke started to billow out from the bonnet.

Reliving the experience, which she described as "horrific", Melissa said: "I was travelling alone, I was driving back from Truro and was nearly at my house which is in Fraddon, just around the corner from where I had to stop.

"All the way home it kept stopping and starting again every time I had to stop and give way. Then when I was driving along the A30 dual carriageway, the car started slowing and tugging as if it was struggling to keep going and all the warning lights started flashing up.

She had only just had the car's MOT renewed

"I knew I wouldn’t manage to get it home so I pulled into the layby, and then lots of thick grey smoke started billowing out from the bonnet, so I knew I had to get out of the car.

"I distanced myself as far away from it as possible, it was about 20 seconds after I exited my car that I saw the fire start underneath the engine, I called 999 and fire brigade and police were immediately dispatched."

She continued: "A lorry driver from Haul’s pulled into the layby and helped me into his lorry and made me a drink and stayed with me until help arrived.

Melissa Taylor

"He was brilliant and I couldn't be more grateful for him taking the time to stop and help me, as well as very grateful for the rapid response and support from the emergency services.

"It felt surreal to watch my car burn, it had only had a fresh MOT with only a small windscreen chip as an advisory five days before this happened, which made it all the more worrying.

"I was completely hysterical and in a state of disbelief, it felt like an out of body experience, one of those things that just happens to other people.

The blaze was attended by a number of firefighters

"It was horrific to see but I’m so grateful that I was able to get out safely and in time."

The incident took place on the eastbound side of dual carriageway near the services at Fraddon, Indian Queens.

The incident was first reported at 6.55am although it had been cleared shortly after that time.

Firefighters from Newquay were called to the scene. Firemen wearing breathing gear used fire extinguishers and water jets to put the fire out.