Lucky escape for lorry driver

A lorry driver escaped unhurt after his truck carrying 50 tonnes of potatoes pitched over and fell into a hedge – without spilling a single potato.

The truck was travelling on the B4362 at Bircher, near Leominster, yesterday at 7.20am when the accident happened.

The lorry driver, who is believed to be in his 50s, lost control of the truck before it rolled over and came to rest across both sides of the road with its cab wedged in the hedge.

West Mercia Police say the driver managed to clamber out of the vehicle unhurt and the truck, remarkably, retained its load unspilled.

Chris Ammonds, spokesman for the police said, the road was closed for five hours in both directions while recovery work took place.

But he said delays to motorists were kept at a minimum with diversions of one mile in place.

He said: "It was reported to police at 7.22am yesterday that a truck had rolled over and was blocking the road between Orleton and Bircher.

"The driver was not hurt and managed to get out of the vehicle.

"The truck was carrying upwards of 50 tonnes of potatoes.

"There were no other vehicles involved in the incident."