Village ‘looked like Beirut’

by Frank Hughes

RESIDENTS had their peace and quiet shattered by “shouts of profanities followed by loud bangs and crashes” when a man attempted to steal a flatbed lorry, crashed it into four parked cars and finally into the wall of a house.

“It looked like Beirut!” said one resident in Church Lane, Ticknall, when she went out to view the scene and saw her car had been shunted into a line of three other damaged vehicles

The lorry had been parked at the entrance to the church, where workmen were doing some stonework and, apparently, a young man had jumped in the vehicle and driven off He had clearly lost control in trying to drive it away “He legged it,” the resident said, “making his escape across a garden ”

Speaking on behalf of her neighbours, the resident said:

“We are all elderly and it has been both emotionally and financially very upsetting, as we have all had to replace our cars ”

She also said she was disappointed that she had heard nothing back from the police as to whether an arrest had been made or indeed if any action had been taken

Luckily, there were no casualties in the incident apart from the house owner ’s dog, who was asleep in the room the lorry crashed into The owner said: “She was covered in dust and traumatised to the point she would not reenter the room ”

A police spokesman has said: “Our Investigation is ongoing and further lines of enquiry are being undertaken

“We apologise those involved in this case haven’t received the service they had expected, and officers are making contact with them to ensure that they are being kept updated about the progress of the investigation ”