A lorry driver received a fine and points after causing £40,000 damage to the historic Gladstone Cross.
Repairing the cross will cost £40,000. The Gladstone Cross honored Prime Minister Gladstone. He visited in the 1800s. The driver took a wrong turn last August.
He tried a bad turn with his truck. He hit the Grade II listed cross. The crosshead fell off and landed on his truck. Someone filmed the accident. They shared it on Facebook. The Rural Crime Team saw the video online.
Police said the driver destroyed the cross. He backed into it at high speed. Part of the column faced irreparable damage. Locals reported the damage to the police. The team then tracked down the driver in Birmingham. They communicated with the company director.
The driver didn’t answer questions. The original crosshead remains missing. The council and Historic England assisted. The driver pleaded guilty in court. The court gave him fines and points.
Rebuilding starts after consultation. It will be expensive and take time. The cross marked Gladstone’s visit to Hams Hall. It had Grade II listed status since 1989. The accident erased local history. Insurance may cover the £40,000 restoration cost. That process is still ongoing now.