Blaze wrecks Christmas delivery

A lorry trailer packed with Christmas cards and wrapping paper was gutted after it caught fire on the A38 near Lichfield.

The driver spotted the fire, believed to have been started by an electrical fault, in his mirror as he was driving south between Alrewas and Fradley.

Watch manager Steve Whitehouse, of Lichfield fire station, said: "The driver pulled off the dual carriageway into a slip road at Fradley and was able to release the trailer and moved the cab before it caught fire. The trailer then burst into flames." Fire crews from Lichfield and Barton-under-Needwood were called out along with a water tender from Cannock at 10.40am yesterday.

They could not prevent the trailer from being destroyed but no other vehicles were damaged.

Read the full story in the Express & Star.