HGV driver killed and trucks overturned as wave of storms hits UK

Hauliers have been battling the impact of successive storms that have raged across the UK over past few days, with one HGV driver suffering head injuries after his truck was blown into a bridge and another killed after high winds threw him 12 foot off the back of the truck he was unloading.

Other HGV drivers experienced narrow escapes as high winds, which reached a record 122mph on the Isle of Wight on Friday, overturned a number of trucks on highways across the country.

The wave of storms began with Storm Dudley which landed on Wednesday, followed by Storm Eunice on Friday and Storm Franklin which arrived on Sunday, with all three wreaking havoc in their path.

On Wednesday a Palletline truck was blown over near Otterburn on the A696. A spokeswoman for Palletline said the driver was unharmed.

On Thursday a lorry driver was killed unloading his truck at Marston Green, near Solihull, at around 9pm. Police said it was thought that strong winds had caused him to lose his balance.

West Midlands Police described the incident as an “industrial accident” and expressed its condolences for the unnamed victim.

On Saturday a truck belonging to Stalybridge corrugated board manufacturer John Hargreaves (pictured) was blown onto a car on the A6 near Buxton. Police reported that neither the car’s passengers nor the HGV driver were injured.

The company was unavailable for comment.

In a tweet Derbyshire Police said: “Time to heed the warnings about Storm Eunice and stay home. Through no fault of their own the occupants of this car had a near death experience when a lorry blew over on top of them on the A6 at Dove Holes. Amazingly only minor injuries, dog OK too.”

In separate incidents two lorries were also overturned by high winds on the M4 on the west bound carriageway between Porthcawl and Margam on Friday morning.

Wind speeds forced both the M4 Prince of Wales bridge and the M48 Severn bridge into Wales to close to traffic in what National Highways said was “an extremely rare event.”

The disruption continued today with Lancashire Police reporting that a Montgomery Transport lorry burst into flames on fire on the M6 after high winds from Storm Franklin caused it to crash into a bridge.

The police said the driver, who was in his 40s, was taken to hospital with head injuries after motorists helped the driver escape from the cab.

The HGV was travelling on the M6 between J27 Crow Orchard Road (Standish) and J28 Leyland Way (Leyland), at around 5am.

Posting an update on Twitter, a Lancashire police spokesperson said: "High winds caused this HGV to hit a bridge and burst into flames on M6.

"Driver luckily escaped from cab with help from other motorists and is being assessed at hospital."

The company declined to comment on the incident.