Hunt for lorry driver to replace damaged Shifnal cemetery bench

The bench was placed in Shifnal's Priorslee Road Cemetery by Sandra O'Hanlon, in memory of her husband Bryan.

But in March this year, the peace was shattered by a lorry tyre, which fell of the back of the vehicle which was carrying it.

It flew through the air and into Priorslee Cemetery.

Thankfully, no children or adults were hurt, but the bench in memory of Mrs O'Hanlon's husband was completely destroyed.

One witness to the accident, who had been looking after her own husband's grave said the lorry actually lost two tyres. One went flying to the left from Priorslee Road into a field whilst the other shot into the cemetery.

Though the witness was left shaken by the incident, the lorry owner, who had been following the lorry that lost the tyres did stop at the scene and gave his mobile number to the witness and retrieved the tyres.

However, no other details were passed on.

This eyewitness then went into the offices of Shifnal Town Council in an effort to trace the relatives of the damaged bench.

Mrs O'Hanlon was then able to speak to the lorry owner, who is believed to work in Donnington, who said that he did not want to go through his insurance and offered at the time to purchase a new bench for Mrs O'Hanlon.

However, all further efforts to contact him to date have failed.

Now, Shifnal Town Council and Mrs O'Hanlon are appealing for help in tracing the lorry driver, in the hopes that he may be able to help her to replace the bench.

Mac Sandal, town clerk at Shifnal Town Council, said "To be able to replace Mrs O'Hanlon's bench would bring closure to this unfortunate accident."

Anyone with any information about the incident should contact Shifnal Town Council on (01952) 461420.

Mrs O'Hanlon has said she would like to be able to go and sit in the cemetery during the summer months, but until the necessary funds are available to replace her bench, she will be unable to.