Last updated at 09:35, Tuesday, 26 February 2013

A tractor towing a trailer of manure toppled over spreading its load across a main north Cumbria road.

Police at the scene

• Video: The aftermath of the tractor crash

The accident, outside the Memorial Hall Community Centre on the way into Longtown, blocked the A7 for a number of hours.

Waste and broken glass from the tractor's smashed windows was spread over English Street.

The crash also damaged a fence near the community centre and destroyed a lamp-stand. This land belongs to Arthuret parish council.

The trailer started tipping over as the driver made his way into the town at about 9.45am yesterday.

Nicola Clark, 34, of Longtown, was walking her dog along English Street when the crash took place.

“I just heard a bang and a crash and I turned around and saw the tractor had toppled over,” she said.

Miss Clark, who is a trained first aider, helped the driver from his cab.

The clean-up involved around 20 to 30 police and street cleaners and took more than two hours.

Large diggers were used to remove much of the horse muck, which was loaded onto trailers.

The driver and several members of the public helped out with the clean-up.

Paul Brown, parish council chairman, said the clean-up had removed most of the waste.

“We just have to wait and hope that we get a good downpour,” he added.

Mr Brown said he believed the fencing could be quickly repaired but was not sure how long it would take to restore the lamp-stand.

First published at 09:33, Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk