A runaway driverless truck loaded with bricks crashed into a Tarporley restaurant but luckily nobody was hurt.
Natalie Hand, area manager at Street in the High Street, said it was ‘a miracle’ there were no casualties after the lorry crossed the road of its own accord before smashing into the eaterie.
It appears the hand brake had failed to hold the stationary vehicle after the driver went into the garage opposite to buy some confectionery.
Natalie said the area was normally really busy with cars and pedestrians – just minutes earlier there had been three boys on bikes in the area of the restaurant window that took the impact of the crash.
She said: “It’s a miracle nobody was killed – a pedestrian or somebody in a car driving past. It’s still bad and is definitely an inconvenience but on the whole spectrum of things we were very lucky.”
The driver, who was very apologetic, was fully insured so all the damage is covered.
“He’s a lovely lad,” said Natalie, who is convinced the hand brake had been applied but suspects it could either not hold the vehicle with its two ton load of bricks and may even have snapped the brake cable.
Fortunately, there were no customers in at the time of the incident which happened just after opening about 12.30pm on Monday, August 14. The restaurant closed for a couple of hours until it was confirmed there was no structural damage.
Natalie said the CCTV video showing the crash had been shared widely on social media.
Street in Tarporley has been open just over a year following on from the success of its sister outlet in Nantwich which launched about two-and-a-half years ago. The restaurant sells freshly-made street food from around the world for both dining in and taking away. Natalie says street food is very much ‘on trend’ at the moment and there is a focus on American, Asian and Mexican cuisine.
Natalie said there had been many supportive comments from well-wishers in the tight-knit community in the wake of the incident.
