A lorry driver had a lucky escape when a large hoarding surrounding a building site collapsed onto his vehicle.

The structure had been put up around land on the corner of Old Road and St Osyth Road in Clacton where a new supermarket is being built.

Les Jones, who works for Walon, was delivering three cars to Underwoods garage across the road and picking up three others.

"A minute earlier and I would have been right under the hoardings," he said.

"I had just put my gloves in the cab and I honestly believe that if I had still been there, I could have been killed."

Mr Jones, 47, said he heard an almighty crash and 60ft-plus length of boards had come down.

They damaged the door and side of his car transporter and also knocked lights off the vehicle.

A spokesman for Tendring Council said the incident had not been reported to the council but it would be sending officers to the site to have a look and see what action, if any, needed to be taken.

Published Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Brought to you by the Evening Echo