Lorry smash '˜nightmare'

The proprietors of The Attik antique and furniture shop in Orchard Road, St Annes, were left shocked as a lorry emerging from Back St Annes Road West collided with the corner window of their premises - and now they say they face a wait of months to have it replaced.

The incident happened during roadworks which closed the junction of Back St Annes Road West with Clifton Drive South, meaning the only access for delivery wagons since earlier this month was via Orchard Road.

Attik proprietors Melanie Jackson and Jayne Callaghan felt it was ‘an accident waiting to happen’.

“It has been a nightmare ever since the road was blocked at the other end and there were several near misses before this,” said Jayne.

“This happened on Sunday morning when we were closed and we are just grateful that it was at a time when no-one was in the shop.

“The police and the people from the council were wonderful – it took much of the day to make the shop safe and we have opened this week with the window boarded up.

“But we have been told it could be months before we can get replacement glass, as it was a special corner pane which had been there years.”

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said the works, which have closed the junction of Back St Annes Road West at its junction with Clifton Drive South since February 6, are due to finish at the end of this week.

“Electricity North West have been excavating a large joint bay in the carriageway to expose cables to allow jointing to take place and the job is down to be completed by February,” he said.

He also added that there had been no additional parking restrictions on the affected road during the works.