It was a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time - and Jack Turner has a sore head to prove it.

The retired insurance man agreed to look after a market stall while his mate went to spend a penny - and ended up being hit over the head with a metal bar after a truck skittled a whole row of stalls.

Mr Turner was out shopping with his wife, Ruth, when he was called over to mind the sweets stall in Selby Market Place on Monday.

He had been behind the counter for less than two minutes when he thought the stall had been hit by an earthquake.

He said: "Everything was shaking and then suddenly all the sweet jars went up in the air and smashed all over the place.

"A woman shouted across to me to get out quick. As I dashed outside I was hit on the back of the head by a bar.

"The wagon just kept on going, pulling down other stalls and scattering sweets and clothing all over the floor.

"And just to make matters worse, the only ten pound note in the till blew out and disappeared down Finkle Street."

Mr Turner, 61, of Wolsey Croft, Sherburn-in-Elmet, said the man in charge of the sweet stall, Rick Bell, from Tadcaster, had asked Mr Turner to mind the stall while he went to the toilet at a nearby hotel.

Mrs Turner said: "He was just doing a mate a good turn, but unfortunately it backfired. He's very lucky to have escaped serious injury."

Angela Stawrowski, manageress of nearby Ghia Menswear, said: "The lorry hit the stall which toppled over and hit the poor man on the head.

"It dislodged one of the bars and I saw the man rubbing his head."

Sweet stall owner Alison Moore said: "I feel very sorry for Jack because he was doing us a favour. Our stall took the full brunt, and we lost £600 worth of sweets and takings."

Selby District Council support services manager, Fred Weeks, said the pick-up truck had apparently been trying to deliver roadwork signs in the Market Place.

He said the wagon hit the sweets stall, which triggered a "domino effect", buckling up to ten other stalls and distorting scaffolding bars.

He said the council and affected traders would now be pursuing compensation claims through the vehicle's insurers.

A police spokesman said the wagon driver had been reported for traffic offences.