A LORRY which crashed into a house in a New Forest village was removed in a complex operation earlier this week.

Grade II-listed Japonia Cottage in Breamore, Fordingbridge was badly damaged last Friday after it was hit by the Brakes lorry.

The Brakes lorry was finally able to be removed after the house was stabilised and a structural engineer gave clearance for the recovery operation.

After debris around the lorry was cleared away, two recovery trucks worked together to lift the cab of the lorry and drag the vehicle away from the cottage.

The tricky process took a number of hours to complete.

The A338 Salisbury Road was closed while the removal took place.

Owner of the cottage, Paul Hammond, has been staying in a B&B with his wife since the incident, which happened at around 6.40am last Friday.

 

He told the Daily Echo on Wednesday his insurance company and loss adjuster had been “very supportive”.

“The NFU have been brilliant. The first stage will be to make the house watertight and put a cover across the roof. They will also be putting in a temporary wall to keep the weather, and any intruders, out.

“Things are looking more positive now.”

Mr Hammond said rubble exploded into a hallway after the crash.

The driver of the lorry, a man in his 50s, was taken to Salisbury District Hospital.

 

The cause of the collision has not been confirmed, although police are believed to be probing the possibility that the driver fell unconscious.