A 41-YEAR-OLD man has denied dangerous driving in connection with a timber lorry shedding its load and demolishing much of a historic cottage.

The Saturday lunchtime incident on May 14, 2021, happened at Llangua near Abergavenny on the A465.

Christopher Wiggins of Lady Margaret Terrace, Splott, Cardiff, denied dangerously driving a Volvo truck when he appeared before Gwent magistrates last Wednesday (August 10) and was bailed to appear for trial at Newport Crown Court on September 7.

House owner Bryony Francis was in the 200-year-old cottage when some 40 tree trunks smashed into the front of it, demolishing a front office and part of an upstairs bedroom.

Police said there was “substantial damage” to the building at the time of the crash, which happened around 1.20pm, and neighbours were evacuated from their homes as a precaution.

The cab of the Karl Jones and Sons lorry was wrecked and the driver taken to hospital with head and leg injuries,

A Ewyas Harold Fire Station spokesperson said at the time: “Supporting our colleagues from South Wales Fire and Rescue the crew was faced with an articulated lorry that had left the road and collided with a house, losing its loads of timber logs and severely damaging one house and the fronts of the adjoining two properties.

“The cab of the lorry also had significant damage.

“Thankfully the occupant of the house that took the initial impact, who was home at the time, was unhurt and able to get out of the house.

“The driver had self-extricated from the cab and was managed by the ambulance crews before being taken off to hospital thankfully without life threatening injuries.”

House owner Bryony said she was in her back kitchen when she heard a “massive, massive bang” and the house shook.

As well as parts of the house being seriously damaged, their van was written off on the driveway.