Skip boss describes lorry crash involving son at Lady…

Skip boss describes lorry crash involving son at Lady Bay Bridge

The director of a skip company whose son was in a lorry that crashed off Lady Bay Bridge has described what happened. At around 8.50am on Monday (July 4), Jimmie Whitehead, 28, a director at Vale Skip Hire in Nottingham, was in a lorry that left the carriageway and crashed down the embankment.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue said he was freed by emergency services who attended the scene, which also included paramedics and police, and the lorry was eventually flipped and recovered after Jimmie was taken to hospital. He is the only man who was involved in the incident.

Jimmie was taken by ambulance to the Queen's Medical Centre, after he was found to be well enough to be taken there in the vehicle and not by air ambulance, which had been spotted in the skies by onlookers. Father Kevin Whitehead, 65, who is also a director at Vale Skip Hire, revealed what happened leading up to the crash, and is relieved his son is recovering well in hospital after suffering a broken arm.

Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, Kevin said: "Jimmie might have passed out at the wheel, he wasn't speeding or anything like that. It looks like he's passed out, gone to the right and he's very lucky to be alive and out of danger now.

"Lorries are repairable, that's why you have insurance, but lives are not. It was terrible. You just pray for the best and I was just worried about my son.

"He wasn't far from the River Trent and was trapped inside the lorry, he was panicking at the time too. I know a few people who tried to help before emergency services attended."

The lorry was eventually recovered (Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson)

Want the latest news delivered straight to your inbox? Click here to sign up for Nottinghamshire Live's newsletters. .

Kevin said Jimmie continues to recover in hospital. Jimmie is said to be having an operation on one of his arms which is broken on Thursday (July 7), which will include pinning to support it.

Kevin said: "Jimmie was at first on the intensive care unit, was then moved to a high-dependency unit and after his planned operation today, he should be being moved to a normal ward. He's getting there.

"I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone that helped during the incident, along with a massive thank you to the emergency services as well. We work in the vicinity and everyone trying to help knew him.

"There was one lad in particular who was brilliant, he was a passer-by on his way to work, and they all just mucked in to do what they could and to keep spirits up."

The damage caused to Lady Bay Bridge because of the crash (Derby Telegraph)

Onlookers previously said they were left stunned as they watched the lorry crash through the bridge. A leading councillor from Nottinghamshire County Council has said the bridge may not be reopened for 'many weeks' while repair work is carried out, which needs to be completed before it can be used again, although a full assessment is still to be carried out.

Football and cricket fans have been warned there could be travel disruption while the bridge remains closed, with Nottinghamshire Live readers voicing frustration. 'Temporary safety barriers' could be the key to getting traffic moving again, according to councillors, and huge concrete barriers are up on the bridge. Police have said an investigation is ongoing.

Detective Inspector Nick Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said in a previous statement: "We were called at 8.51am on Monday, July 4, to a report of a lorry leaving the carriageway at Lady Bay Bridge, West Bridgford, and crashing down an embankment. The driver of the vehicle suffered injuries which are not believed to life altering or life threatening at this stage.

"The bridge remains closed while repairs are carried out, so we'd ask motorists to find an alternative route for the time being. Our inquiries are ongoing, so we’d ask anyone who saw what happened, has dash-cam footage, or any other information that could assist our investigation to call 101 quoting incident 118 of June 4."

READ NEXT:

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here