Driver dies as lorry smashes into Wednesbury social club

Customers fled the Royal British Legion Club in Wednesbury when the lorry crashed into the building.

Eye witnesses described a loud bang and a puff of smoke, as well as seeing the tragic driver slumped behind the wheel.

The lorry ploughed into a snooker room at the club and it is thought around 15 people, including children, were in the room at the time.

The venue had been due to hold a Boxing Day disco.

The driver of the lorry, who was delivering milk, was pronounced dead at the scene. Nobody else was injured.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman Suzie Fothergill said: "Crews we called to reports of a lorry that had been in a significant collision with a building.

"On arrival at the scene crews found that the lorry had collided into the Royal British Legion with approximately a third of the lorry's length being within the building.

"Ambulance crews worked alongside the fire service while they secured the building, to ensure that everyone that had been in the property at the time of the incident were accounted for and were uninjured.

"On assessment of the lorry driver it unfortunately became apparent that nothing could be done to save him and he was sadly confirmed deceased at the scene."

One passer-by today described the dramatic moment the tragic crash happened. He and his friends ran into the club moments later to try to help the driver and switch off the lorry's engine.

Father-of-two Paul Williams was walking nearby when he heard 'a really loud bang'.

"Me and my friends ran to the scene and we saw there was an articulated lorry which had gone straight through the Legion pub," said the 31-year-old.

"I told my friends to phone the police and I ran to try and help. I realised the engine was still running but I couldn't get to the driver from the outside so I ran into the pub. Me and my mate were trying to get people out. It was really smoky inside and we couldn't see a lot."

Mr Williams, who is originally from Wednesbury but now lives in Essington, said he tried to reach the driver to get him out and to switch off the engine but the ceiling had collapsed and rubble was blocking the way.

"We just started telling everyone to get out because we were worried it could blow up," he said.

"We ran around checking the toilets to make sure everybody was out.

"Luckily all the customers who were in there managed to get out. We didn't really realise the severity of it at first but just acted on instinct. It was very distressing though."

The crash happened at around 8pm, with police, paramedics and firefighters all called to the scene.

Three crews of firefighters attended, including the technical rescue teams from Wednesbury and Bickenhill - which have extra expertise and equipment to deal with the most serious crash and accident scenes across the country.

Steven Astbury, a firefighter based at the station, said their job was to help remove the lorry and ensure the building did not collapse.

He said: "That did look a real risk when we arrived so we removed selected debris to prevent it from happening."

Crews were at the scene until midnight.

A cordon was set up closing off one side of High Bullen close to its junction with Church Hill, where the club stands. Both sides of the road were later sealed off by police as the HGV was pulled from the building where it had become embedded.

Catherine Hickman, spokeswoman for West Midlands Police, said the force was trying to identify the driver of the lorry.

She added the club had been evacuated 'as a precaution' and appealed for any witnesses to call officers.

Serious road accident investigators were also at the scene.

News of the crash spread quickly on social media, with a crowd of nearby residents spilling on to the street to see what had happened.

Many expressed their shock and said the club was a popular and well-used venue.

Chairman of the Royal British Legion club Leigh Jones, aged 39, was among those at the scene. He said he was 'just gutted' at what had happened.

Mr Jones and his family had been on their way to the club to organise the evening's disco but were running late.

"We were actually on our way down to the club when my phone started going with people telling me what had happened," he said.

"We always spend Boxing Day there as a family. We're usually in there at that time though we just happened to be running a bit late for one reason or another.

"People who were inside at the time said they just saw a puff of smoke and they thought there had been a gas explosion or something.

"I've been coming to this club nearly all my life, it's just gutting to see what has happened."

Mr Jones said the club has around 300 members and the annual Poppy Appeal is run from the building.

It is believed the club opened in the 1930s and recently, new windows and a new boiler system had been installed.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "One of my family members was in the club at the time of the crash.

"She told me there were kids in the snooker room when it happened but thankfully, they were far enough away that they weren't injured.

"I just shudder to think what could have happened.

"But I'm so sorry to hear what has happened to the driver, especially at this time of the year."

A large police cordon was set up around the scene while the building was made safe and investigations were carried out.

Mathew Nordon, aged 28, of Parkdale Avenue, in Wednesbury, had been out for the evening in West Bromwich.

He returned home to see emergency vehicles lining the road allong High Bullen.

"We'd had missed calls and text messages from people telling us what had happened," he said.

"But it was still a big shock when we were on our way home and saw all the emergency services.

"It's not something you really expect to see."

Mick Henry, aged 47, of Darlaston, was in Wednesbury to meet friends when he saw the aftermath of the crash.

The plumber said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw the lorry was actually half way in to the building.

"It wasn't like it had just hit it, it was like it had gone through it."

People also took to Twitter to express their shock and sadness at what had happened.

Andrew Bowman wrote: "Just seen a lorry crash into a social club in Wednesbury- horrible."

Another, Jacob Lloyd added: "Prayers with all those affected."