Man fined for overloading lorry

A mattress and a fold-up bed fell off the back of a moving lorry in Lincolnshire, causing another motorist to brake hard.

Kenneth John Harrison (43) was driving the lorry piled high with furniture along Lincoln Road, Fiskerton, when items became dislodged by the wind.

Tish Thomas, prosecuting at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, said eyewitness Dawn Lewis felt the load posed a serious risk of causing an accident.

The court heard Mrs Lewis set out on a car journey with the skip lorry ahead of her.

“She described a ‘mound’ of items, roped and secured with a ‘football’ net three times the height of the skip,” said Miss Thomas.

“Within seconds a mattress flew off on to the road, followed by a fold-up bed.

“She had to brake hard to avoid items on the road.”

Miss Thomas added: “Mr Harrison was brought in by the police and in the course of the interview he was asked about what happened.

“He said he did not feel it was unsafe or insecure and could not give an explanation as to why matters occurred and items fell from the skip.”

Mr Harrison, representing himself in court, disputed the eyewitness account.

“The statement from the lady is very sensationalised,” he said.

“One thing fell off “ a mattress. It was brought to my attention at the traffic lights at Cherry Willingham and I addressed it straight away.”

Harrison, of High Street, Saxilby, admitted one charge of carrying an insecure load.

Magistrates fined him £230 plus a £15 Government surcharge and ordered him to pay £43 costs.

He also had three points added to his licence.