Delivery driver crushed by his own van in Marlborough

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A delivery van driver was crushed between the open doors of his vehicle after it ran away down the steep hill in Kingsbury Street in Marlborough shortly after noon today and careered into the front of a 19th century building.

The driver was caught between the open back doors of his delivery van, which was loaded with parcels, as it smashed into the front of the three-storey building which has been converted into flats.

Postman James Bullock who lives in Swindon was delivering to nearby homes and watched the drama unfold as the van began to roll backwards down the steep hill.

Mr Bullock said: “The van had been parked on the opposite side of the road and the driver was at the back doors which were open as he reached inside for a parcel.

“It began to run away backwards across the road and the guy tried to stop it and he was between its back doors when it crashed into the building.”

The postman, who stopped to assist and then resumed his round said: “The driver was caught between his back doors and he was lucky he was not cut in half.”

A neighbour whose home is four away in the Grade II listed terrace, and who asked not to named, said: “I was indoors when the crash shook my home.

“Apparently the driver had been trying to hold the van back when it began to runaway down the hill but you can’t hold a vehicle on a hill as steep as this.

“A number of people went to assist him but he was trapped between the doors of the van and the building. One chap was a complete star and was talking to him and asking him to keep his eyes open. He did a good job.”

The flats are owned by a property company Shield Management Services which has its offices in Kingsbury Street and the 18 inch thick front wall of the ground floor flat was pushed back in by the impact.

Firemen inserted steel props to support the building pending a visit by structural engineers to assess the damage

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OUCH