Sat nav blunder leaves feed lorry stranded

A lorry driver delivering feed to farms was left stranded in a country lane for nearly 24 hours after his sat nav sent him the wrong way.


The driver was making deliveries to farms in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester when his 45ft lorry became stuck over a bridge on a bend.

Police were called to Church Lane in the village of Uppermill, following reports that the 42t vehicle was unable to move at 8pm on Tuesday (22 November). The driver was eventually freed the following night.

Local resident Geoff Wood, 59, came across the lorry while out walking. He told the Manchester Evening News the driver blamed the incident on a sat nav blunder.

“The driver was directed down a lane which was primarily designed for carts and horses,” he said.

“The only way out for the mammoth truck was to reverse back up the hill, but then all the sacks of feed had to be unloaded so the truck could make it. It’s a winding lane. The truck was just wedged there.

“The driver said he had been using his sat nav. He thought he could get through. He said he should have gone up the lane the other way.

“He said it was a nice part of the countryside, but he didn’t really relish spending a second night there in his cab.”

Local farmers helped remove bags of animal feed from the lorry and placed them on to tractors to lighten the lorry so that it could be reversed up the hill.

Police closed the road and the driver was told to keep on his hazard warning lights until the vehicle was recovered.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “Officers were called following reports that a 45ft articulated lorry had got stuck on a bend and was wedged between a bridge and a wall.”

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