Driver wedges lorry in Somerset village street

Filed under: Latest News

A driver has managed to wedge his delivery lorry between a house and a churchyard wall in a small Somerset village, closing the road and damaging the house.

The HGV belongs to Polish haulage firm Skat and it became stuck between two walls in Sanctuary Lane in Brompton Regis at about 19:00 GMT on Thursday.
It is believed to have been carrying paper to a paper mill in Watchet.

The Highways Agency was forced to close the road all day while recovery experts were called in to free the stricken vehicle.

The 44-tonne articulated lorry's rear tyres had blown and it was resting on its rims.

Homeowner Kevin Steer said the lorry was "embedded" in the side of his house while talking to the BBC, and had caused considerable damage, including ripping off guttering, slates, bargeboard and electric cable.

He said he was "amazed" to find the lorry stuck there, and was in a state of shock.

"This is a regular occurrence that large lorries come through the village, and normally they just take the guttering off," he said.

Mr Steer said he thought lorries from Europe were being directed through the village by satellite navigation equipment and said companies should consider an alternative route.

He said: "I think it's high time that there should be a separate system solely for lorry drivers, to stop them going down these narrow, undriveable roads."