Swansea,South Wales - Road closed after Iceland lorry crashes into church

High speed driving perhaps?

Iceland lorry that crashed in the Swansea church

• 20 APR 2016
• BY CATHY OWEN

The supermarket lorry collided with building that is known locally as The Church in the Middle of the Road

A road was closed for several hours this morning after an Iceland truck crashed into the side of a church in Swansea.

The accident happened earlier this morning on Woodfield Street in the Morriston area of the city when the driver took ill at the wheel.

The lorry is understood to have crashed into other vehicles before ending up in the church.

The damage to the lorry could be seen after it was moved

One person had to be cut from the vehicle using hydraulic equipment.

Read more: These pictures of shockingly bad parking will make you very angry

St John's Church is known locally at The Church in the Middle of the Road.

The church is a well known landmark locally

It stands isolated on an island in the centre of a busy crossroads and was built in the 1800s.

The Grade II listed building has been empty since around 2000 when people stopped using it as a church.

One man had to be cut free

Witnesses say there are a number of damaged vehicles en route to the crash scene suggesting the lorry bounced off a number of vehicles as it headed towards the church.

A spokesman for Mid and West Fire and Rescue Service said a crew from Morriston attended the incident, after they received an emergency call at 4.50am.

Swansea Council said the road re-opened at 9.30am.

Morriston councillor Andrea Lewis, said she been told the driver wasn't seriously hurt - and there were no other casualties.

Emergency services at the scene

She said: "We understand that the emergency services have everything in hand and we sincerely hope that no-one has been seriously injured in the incident.

"I understand that the driver hasn't been seriously injured but looking at the pictures of the cab of the vehicle I think he will be pretty fortunate not to have been seriously hurt.

"There's never been any incidents in the past. The church has been there a long time.

"It's very difficult to say what impact this will have on the church. The church is an important landmark for Morriston and we hope this hasn't impacted too seriously, but the most important thing at the moment is the driver."

A spokeswoman for Iceland said: "Unfortunately the driver was taken ill at the wheel.

"He is recovering in hospital and our thoughts are with him and his family at this time.

"We will continue to look at the causes of this. There wasn't anyone else involved."

see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/road-closed-after-iceland-lorry-11212282