The Welney Website

exclusive news report

lorry in ditch at Tipps End, Nov 2006

An 44-tonne articulated truck operated by R.W.Simpson Ltd of Ramsey went off the March Road, Tipps End into the ditch opposite Pear Tree Cottage at about 6pm on Thursday 23rd November 2006.

An ambulance attended, but fortunately the driver was uninjured apart from some bruises and a sore shoulder and he remained at the scene.

Apparently he had pulled over to avoid an oncoming car/taxi in the middle of the road.

Here you can see the white cab of the overturned Volvo unit in the ditch, with the trailer of another truck on the left and the yellow cab of one of the recovery vehicles.

The trailer laying on its side in the ditch. It was loaded with fruit and vegetables which had to be transferred manually to another of Simpson's vehicles (the blue Scania 114L on right) before it could be winched out.

Two breakdown trucks and a lorry mounted crane from Manchett's attended, and recovery began about 10pm.

Norfolk County Council's Highways Dept sent a crew to put 'Road Closed/Diversion' signs in several places, including, I understand, at the Welney Main Street/New Road junction, but unfortunately not at Lakes End, which caused some problems.

The scene next morning.

This stretch of road is very dangerous for trucks, and a similar accident occurred just a few yards further on two years ago.

The road surface is crumbling away into the ditch, and the road has been narrowed by an overgrown coniferous hedge on the other side, as you can see from the photos below.