Hurricanes' havoc
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HURRICANE-force winds last week caused several thousands of pounds worth of damage to the transport industry in northern England and Wales.
Gusts of over 130kin/li (8( m ph) overturned several vehicles and also wrecked a depot used by a 1)urhani scrap metal dealer.
In one of the more spectacular accidents. at Wallsend on Tyneside. the body section was blown offa furniture van into the cab of a Bedford -11. steel delivery lorry travelling towards it.
The driver of the Bedford, Andrew Deakin. escaped with only a cut arm. He said: "I was driving along the road when I saw a van coming in the opposite direction. I saw it leaning over a bit alid slowed down because I could sec there was going to be trouble.
"The next thing I knew. the whole back section of the van flew off into Inc. leaving just the chassis. I was too late to stop, but I braked and managed to swerve. "The ha, k of the van hit the front of my cab, in the corner of the driver's side, and the whole thing just crumpled. It all happened so quickly I didn't have time to be scared. Now I realise how lucky I have been." he added.
In a similar incident on the Thelwall viaduct on the M6 in Cheshire. a portable office was blown off the back of a lorry. Shortly afterwards, the motorway was blocked when a lorry overturned there.
And a driver was killed on the Wrexham by-pass in North Wales when his vehicle was overturned by a strong blast. The four-mile road was closed after the accident to prevent any repetition.
The incident in Durham city demolished a vehicle depot used by C. H. Newton. a scrap metal merchant.
Company director Charl Newton said the lunchtin accident occurred when tl premises were devoid people. Only one vehicle w in the garage. hut it was n, badly damaged. "We doe know exactly what happenel but it looks as though d wind has caught hold of ti roof and then blown the sic walls over, causing the who structure to collapse."