Lorry driver convicted after village bridge wrecked

A man has been convicted of driving a lorry without due care and attention after he drove into a brick bridge.

Daniel Gowers, of Dunedin Road, Havering, was found guilty of striking the bridge in Swallowfield, Berkshire, on 11 February.

The 33-year-old was fined £1,100, ordered to pay a £440 surcharge and £130 in costs, and given nine points on his driving licence in his absence at Reading Magistrates' Court on 15 September.

The vehicle smashed one side of the brick wall and forced a closure of the road for more than a fortnight. Work to repair it began on 28 September, with a road closure required so that the parapet could be replaced safely.

Wokingham Borough Council, which owns the bridge, previously said in a Freedom of Information request that repair work was expected to cost £60,000.

The council said since February the bridge had remained open with temporary concrete barriers and traffic lights.

It added that it was "making every effort to recover costs from the party responsible" and "working with their insurers".