An historic archway in a county village was severely damaged after being struck by a large delivery van.
The listed structure at the entrance to a nursing home and residential property has been described as an “important feature” of picturesque Croston.
It was originally an entrance to an old rectory.
The van was delivering 25 litres of laundry fluid to the nursing home, Croston Park on Town Road, yesterday.
But bosses at the home said it should not have been there. Phil King, a director of Park Lane Healthcare, which runs Croston Park, said: “Basically what happened was an unauthorised vehicle went on to the site and when it was leaving collided with the archway.
“We have had a structural survey carried out on the other side of the arch and that’s safe.
“We’ve got a building team coming to see what we can do.
“It’s a listed monument and it will have to be rebuilt as it was prior.
“We will be employing a specialist team of stonemasons.
“The main thing is no one was hurt.”
He added; “It was bringing a delivery to Croston Park but it should not have been on site.
“There was a new driver and he was attempting to come onto the site when he shouldn’t have done. Normally they offload on the other side of the road.”
He said it was a sad incident.
“Of course it was, because we take a lot of pride in our building,” said Mr King.
“It is a 16th century building and it is listed.
“We took this building over five years ago and we have done a complete renovation of the building and grounds and spent well over £1m on the building and grounds.
“We are extremely upset and are pursuing this with the company and their insurers.”
The vehicle belonged to Skipton-based Deliver Net, one of the UK’s largest medical equipment suppliers to the healthcare sector.
Andrew Cardus, distribution manager, said: “It was an unfortunate accident.
“Our normal delivery driver is actually on holiday, it was a relief driver.
“He wouldn’t know where the delivery would go until he got onto the site.
“There are no signs or anything.”
Croston parish councillor Kath Almond said: “They are an important feature of the village, believed to have been built as a folly, an entrance to a much older rectory.
“The rectory was converted to a residential care home, Croston Park, and later extended to include nursing care.
“The ruins are also entrance to the Coach House, a private residential dwelling.
“This pillar was rebuilt some seven or eight years ago following damage by a lorry.”
Comments