A LORRY driver has been arrested after a man was killed in a crash in a Northwich village.

The A49 Warrington Road in Little Leigh was closed for several hours when a Leyland lorry travelling north collided with a maroon Peugeot 406 before smashing into the side of Holly Bush Cottage, next to the Holly Bush public house.

The driver of the Peugeot, 71-year-old local lay preacher Robert Wallace Lewis, is believed to have been killed instantly. His body was cut from the wreckage.

Mr Lewis's wife Kay was injured and rushed to Warrington General Hospital. She is expected to be released soon.

The driver of the lorry, a 62-year-old man from Scotland, received minor injuries and was treated at the scene. He was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been released on police bail.

Firefighters from Northwich risked their lives to rescue him from the cab as the thatched cottage collapsed around them.

'The wagon had gone into the side of the building and was embedded in the wall,' said Leading Firefighter Barry Rose.

'The driver was trapped in his cab and as the crews were working debris was falling down all the time and the building was moving.

'We were frightened, it could fall down and crush him so we had to get him out quickly. Fortunately the people who live at the cottage were both at work when it happened.'

The accident, which occurred at about 2.15pm on Wednesday and led to lengthy tailbacks as motorists were switched to other routes, caused serious structural damage to the cottage, parts of which date to the 17th Century.

Prayers were said at Methodist churches across the Northwich area on Sunday in memory of Mr Lewis, of Marsh Lane in Lower Whitley, who had been a well-loved preacher since the 1960s.

The Rev Mike Dye, superintendent in charge of the local Methodist circuit, said: 'A lot of people knew Bob and everyone is quite appalled and upset at his death. He regularly preached at many of the churches in the circuit and had a lot of friends. He will be very sadly missed.'

Methodist minister the Rev Richard Towle added: 'He had been a local preacher for more than 37 years and often visited churches in the circuit to preach. He was very well liked and had a great enthusiasm for his faith. We are all grieving for him.'

Mr Lewis lived on a farm at Whitley, not far from the scene of Wednesday's accident. He was a keen pigeon fancier and belonged to the national club as well as those nearer to home at Weaverham and Acton Bridge.

His friend and fellow pigeon fancier, Cheshire County Councillor George Mainwaring, said: 'He was a lovely man and contributed a huge amount to the community.

'He was a strong supporter of the sport, it is a sad loss to his family and it is a sad loss to the community.

'I last saw him at the awards night in Weaverham. He was talking about his family and said how he was looking forward to growing old gracefully.'