Owner's shock after lorry crashes into listed mill

50 minutes ago

Louise Fewster,Yorkshireand

Emily Johnson,Yorkshire

The lorry became stuck after scraping the side of the Grade II*-listed watermill

Nick Burrows Side-by-side images showing damage to an old stone building. In the left image, part of an exterior stone wall has collapsed, leaving a large vertical section of exposed masonry and a pile of fallen stones at the base. In the right image, a large tyre track has been made across a grass verge. — The lorry became stuck after scraping the side of the Grade II*-listed watermill

The owner of a Grade II*-listed watermill has been left "in shock" after a lorry destroyed part of the building while navigating a tight bend.

The HGV collided with Coulton Mill, near Hovingham in North Yorkshire, at 06:20 GMT on Thursday.

Nick Burrows, who runs his cider-making business from the former corn mill and farm, said an entire corner of the building had collapsed.

North Yorkshire Police said an investigation was ongoing and Burrows has called for large vehicles to be banned from the narrow country lane.

Burrows said: "I was fast asleep in bed and got woken up to the sound of a very high revving engine and scraping against the side of the building.

"I very quickly ran to the back of the house and was faced with the sight of a large articulated vehicle, a bulk carrier, that was moving backwards and forwards against the side of the house.

"To my horror, the vehicle had bedded itself into the ground next to the house, partly off the road, and the building was collapsing onto it while the driver was making every effort to go up the hill."

Nick Burrows stands beside the collapsed wall at Coulton Mill in North Yorkshire

Nick Burrows A man stands beside a partially collapsed stone wall of an old building, pointing towards a damaged upper section. Large blocks of stone and rubble lie at the base of the wall, — Nick Burrows stands beside the collapsed wall at Coulton Mill in North Yorkshire

The HGV was released when the driver managed to reverse, and Burrows stopped him and called the police.

"I obviously was really upset," he added.

"It could have been worse and someone could have been injured, but it's made a real mess of that corner."

Burrows has restored the 18th Century property from dereliction, and it has featured on the BBC Two series Restoration Home. There was a water-powered mill on the site in medieval times, and it was operational until around 1950.

He described the road where the crash happened, Scackleton Bank, as a "tiny little lane" that is not suitable for HGVs.

"It broadens out just before the house, but the drivers can't see it goes into a hairpin bend and up a very steep hill the other side.

"It's virtually impossible for them to get around that bend without causing significant damage."

The mill has been struck by a vehicle before, and in one incident his dog was killed.

"It takes a very long time to restore buildings and an awful lot of money, and with ignorance you can destroy them.

"I've been through quite a bit of shock and I haven't been sleeping."

Burrows praised his neighbours, who have brought him hot meals, and the police .

"I hope that the council will finally declare that this lane is unfit for heavy goods vehicles and articulated lorries.

"I don't think anyone who sees the road here would ever dream that an articulated bulk carrier, especially with huge weight, would ever try and get down here. And yet it happens on a regular basis."

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