Man's 20 mile chase after lorry driver

AN ANGRY homeowner facing major heart surgery next week chased a lorry across two counties after it smashed into his historic listed house and then drove off.

Shocked 63-year-old Wynn Evans said there was an “almighty thud” when the truck crashed into the overhanging roof of his 16th century home at Cavendish, near Sudbury, as he was making a cup of tea.

Without thinking, Mr Evans leapt into his car and trailed the lorry 20 miles across two counties to get the number plate of the vehicle for police.

A spokesman for Suffolk Constabulary confirmed that a 68-year-old man from the Surrey area had been arrested on suspicion of careless driving after being stopped on the A1307 in Linton, Cambridgeshire.

He has now been released and a report has gone to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration.

Mr Evans of Stour Street, had spent the hours before Tuesday afternoon's drama at Papworth Hospital, in Cambridgeshire, preparing for double heart bypass surgery scheduled for next week.

He, and his wife Lesley, are now facing a bill running into thousands of pounds after the incident wrecked beams, tiling, a window and caused a large piece of wood to crash to the pavement.

Damage caused by the crash is thought to have caused the structure of the £500,000 house to shift and the extent is still being assessed.

Mr Evans said: “I was livid to be honest. I had just spent hours at Papworth undergoing tests and the last thing I wanted was stress on my heart.

“Everyone said I was brave to give chase but I did it without thinking. I just heard a thud outside, opened the door and saw a piece of my house on the pavement. I just wanted to get the number plate as I knew the lorry driver would not be caught without it.

“I can't believe that he didn't stop - I just think that he thought that he would get away with it. We have only lived here for two-and-a-half years and our house has been hit four times.”