Removal van overturned due to 'handbrake failure'

The removal company said the van had decided to have "a little sleep" whilst being loaded on Michaelgate in Lincoln

A removal van overturned on a steep Lincoln street due to a handbrake failure, the owner has said.

David Cliffe, from Bourne-based Cliffe's Removals, said the van was stationary and being loaded with garage contents before it hit a wall and toppled over on Tuesday morning on Michaelgate.

Although the van was a write-off, no-one was in the vehicle at the time and nobody was injured in the incident which happened at about 11:50 GMT, causing slight damage to a low brick wall.

Mr Cliffe said: "It was lucky it had [hit] that little wall" as it "could have been a lot worse".

Mr Cliffe said he received a call to say the van had overturned and went to the scene to assist with recovery.

He said: "As things panned out it was the best thing in the scenario as the driver could have been still trying to get in and it squashed him or people walking."

On the company's Facebook page, a post stated: "Unfortunately, our removal van decided to have a little sleep whilst being loaded on Steep Hill in Lincoln today.

"Luckily no one was injured, the vans a write-off and only the customers BBQ suffered mild damage but it could have been much worse, a lot worse - it is a very steep hill."

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