Careless driver crashes into 120-year-old cottage in Llangua, Wales

A careless driver destroyed part of a 120-year-old stone cottage when 26 tonnes of tree trunks fell off the back of his lorry.

Christopher Wiggins, 42, lost control of his timber lorry on a country road in Wales as he carried the trees from forestry.

Bryony Francis, 53, was in the kitchen of the cottage when the forestry truck hit the property after taking a corner at speed.

It crashed through the front corner of her home, shedding its load of tree trunks - and virtually destroying the 120-year-old stone cottage.

Wiggins lost control of his truck which rolled over and spilled its load of timber logs in the quiet village of Llangua near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire.

Wiggins, of Splott, Cardiff, was cleared of dangerous driving by a jury but was convicted of careless driving in May 2021.

Christopher Wiggins, 42, lost control of his timber lorry Credit: Wales news service

Recorder David Warner told him: “You drove your lorry laden with 26 tonnes or thereabouts of tree logs in such a way that your vehicle rolled over and caused very extensive damage.

“You drive it in a way which was careless in that you entered that corner at a speed which was, even by your own admission in an interview, probably too high for that vehicle with that load on that bend.

“I accept that this was more of an error of judgement rather than a deliberate course of action or reckless behaviour.”

Harry Baker, representing Wiggins, said: “He was working with an agency but he’s had to put his work on hold while this has been dealt with and the work has been drying up for him.”

Ms Francis said she and her husband her husband John Clark felt lucky to be alive Credit: Wales news service

Wiggins, of Lady Margaret Terrace, was fined £700, ordered to pay £620 prosecution costs and a £70 victim surcharge.

He avoided a driving ban after the judge endorsed his licence with eight penalty points at Cardiff Crown Court.

Ms Francis said she and her husband her husband John Clark felt lucky to be alive.

‘Everything went silent. I had no idea what had happened’

“I had just gone to make lunch when there was a massive bang, the doors slammed and the coats were knocked off their hooks,” she said.

“There was a rush of air and dust which hit my face and then everything went silent. I had no idea what had happened.”

She walked upstairs to the front of house to see a gaping hole through to the road, the wall demolished and her living room and bedroom open to the outside world.

“I tried to open the door from the kitchen into the front room but it wouldn’t open so I knew the ceiling had come down. I went up the stairs, opened the door and could see the front and side walls had gone.

“It looked like a bombsite and there were tree trunks, about 30 to 40, everywhere.”

She said: “We are very lucky, if my husband had been at home he probably would have been sitting in the front room and we could have been looking for a body today.

Gwent Police said the crash had caused “substantial damage” and neighbours had to be evacuated from their homes as a precaution.