Draperstown homeowner's lucky escape after lorry crashes through garden wall

A County Derry homeowner has spoken of his lucky escape after a lorry crashed through his garden wall and collided with his parked car last week.

Ballinascreen man Patrick Gormley was at his Disert Road home on Wednesday morning (July 10) when he heard a loud bang around 9am.

Initially, he thought the noise was coming from a passing vehicle however he was horrified moments later when he discovered that a lorry had actually collided with the wall at his property leaving a trail of destruction behind.

The lorry also collided with Patrick's Vauxhall Astra, which he just purchased just three months ago, pushing it metres away from where it was parked.

A devastated Patrick said that it will cost thousands of pounds to repair the damage however he is grateful that no-one was seriously injured in the smash.

“If the bricks in my garden weren't there, the lorry would've crashed down into my yard, and at the speed the driver was going, he would've been killed,” said Patrick.

“The owner of the lorry said he will repair the damage to my wall and the insurance company will have to sort out my car however to repair it will cost thousands, it'll cost so much that the insurance company will  say it'll cost more than my car is worth. I feel so upset that  my car, which I have just bought, a convertible with low mileage, is a write off through no fault of mine.

“I feel so unfortunate that the driver of the lorry went off the road right at my house anywhere else but here, where I park my car.”

Patrick has urged drivers to slow down, adding: “What happened on Wednesday could well happen again unless lorry drivers slow down.”