Kennet and Avon Canal to be dredged after lorry ploughs through bridge spilling oil and diesel

Part of a canal in Wiltshire remains closed after a large lorry carrying carrots crashed off a bridge and fell down a bank.

The single-vehicle crash happened in the early hours of 15 June in the Kennet and Avon Canal along the A346 near the village of Burbage.

The Canal and River Trust was alerted by the fire brigade to assess the damage caused to the bridge, toe path, embankment and canal.

Rob Coles, area operations manager for the east side of the canal, said: "As the day progressed, emergency services and a recovery vehicle managed to get the lorry out.

"Our first priority was safety. Engineers visited the site to make sure the bridge was structural sound and was not going to lose any more material.

"The impact caused a 4x3m section of bridge wall to fall into the canal, material saturated in diesel and oil. Parts of the embankment and towpath also fell into the water."

Mr Coles went on to explain that contractors are onsite working to dredge the canal: "It is usually 1.2m deep at that location but now it is ankle deep.

"The bridge wall will take the longest to rebuild, we have to be sympathetic to its construction. It's important we make it safe again for road traffic.

"The public foot path is regularly used by walkers, cyclists and people fishing.

"The road is a busy main route, but there is quite a pinch point at that location so drivers slow down on approach.

"The lorry driver was said to be fine and was very apologetic about the situation."

The Canal and River Trust hopes to reopen the section of the canal and towpath by Monday 24 June.

A spokesperson from Wiltshire Police said: "At around 12.50am on 15 June, we responded after a lorry left the A346 carriageway and entered the canal north of Burbage.

“There were no injuries and no reported arrests.”