Herald Express (Torbay, Brixham & South Hams Edition)
Lucky escape as lorry smashes into home
A RETIRED couple were woken by an ‘explosion’ as a lorry smashed into the front of their house early on Monday morning.
The 280-tonne concrete pump truck lost control on Liverton Road in Coldeast before tipping over and hitting the porch of 18th century Benedict Cottage.
Police officers say the driver was originally treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital.
The boom of the lorry hit the porch of the house and narrowly avoided damaging the main walls of the building.
“We were woken at 6.15am by what sounded like an explosion,” said the owner of the house, which is one of the oldest buildings in the village.
“It felt like the whole building shook and my husband said that we need to ring 999 straight away.
“The driver was running up and down the road shouting.
“He said to ring the ambulance, I think he was suffering from shock.”
“The ambulance was there be fore we could even get the driver into the house for a cup of tea,” added the husband.
“We don’t want to think about how close it came to the main part of the house.
“There is an original beam from the 1700s which has now been cracked.”
Liverton Road was blocked but access was kept open to the nearby Blackpool Church of England Primary School.