Camper van hangs on cliff edge as Italian Job gone to Colorado

It must have been a long and sweaty wait inside the van for a tow truck.

But Daniel Lyons didn’t really have the option of popping out to stretch his legs.

The 34-year-old was discovered by rescuers sitting in his swaying Dodge camper van, 170ft from the ground. The van had plunged down the rock face at the Colorado National Monument in the U.S. in a scene reminiscent of the film The Italian Job.

Terrified Daniel had desperately tried to balance the weight of the van to prevent him from plunging to certain death.

But in his confusion he climbed on to the back seat - which was already hanging off the cliff.

Rescue crews who raced to the scene of the accident found Daniel cowering in the swaying vehicle.

They managed to manoeuvre him from the van and up the cliff face before he was airlifted to hospital.

Mr Lyons was treated for minor injuries.

Park superintendent Joan Anzelmo said: ‘It’s truly a miracle. Another few inches or a foot and that car would have continued on to the base of the canyon. No one survives those types of accidents.’