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French hi-jack a UK truck
Page 6
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• A British lorry was hijacked by a group of 30 angry French farmers this week,
In the latest and most serious escalation of the new 'lamb war' (see CM October 11), a Scania artic unit, belonging to Crewkerne, Somerset-based Central Road Transport, was hi-jacked at 4am outside an abattoir in Lyons on Monday.
Driver Phillip 1-lards, who had been asleep in the cab, was forced to take his vehicle to the main square in Lyons where angry farmers pulled most of the lamb carcasses out of the trailer, rolled them in the gravel and spray painted them.
Agriculture Minister Michael Jopling has already protested about the incident to his opposite number in France, Francois Guillaume.
Of the 500 carcasses in the trailer, 466 were subsequently condemned as unfit for human consumption — representing a total damage of around £15,000. The CRT truck was also sprayed with paint, but a company spokes
man says the damage is not too had and that his firm is fully insured.
The meat exporter, David Maunder of Lloyd Maunder of Tiverton in Devon, says that the French farmers emptied the truck in full view of a number of French police and a television crew.
"All this took place over several hours." says Maunder. "and all the time the police were just watching them. Finally the riot police arrived and arrested about 10 farmers."
RHA senior executive Bob Duffy told CM, "We deplore such criminal attacks on road transport drivers and their vehicles, whatever the cause
of the grievance arising from the EEC's policies.
"Road hauliers expect to he able to provide their legitimate, and essential, services with adequate protection of the authorities in the member states."
Harris was unhurt in the attack on his lorry and at the time of going to press is staying with his truck at Lyons while the authorities decide what to do with the condemned lamb carcasses.
A spokesman for Central Transport Services says, "We have seen the situation deteriorate over the last four or five months, but we have never before experienced any major problems."