LATEST - Chickens killed in lorry crash (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

LATEST - Chickens killed in lorry crash

THOUSANDS of chickens were left for dead or injured after a lorry crashed on a Cirencester roundabout on Friday.

A total of 5,800 live chickens in crates were being transported to a processing plant in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire when the accident happened on the A429 road at the fire station roundabout at 1.30pm.

The driver, a 39 year-old man from Chippenham, is believed to have lost control of the lorry. It then mounted a kerb and crashed into the wall of a car park at Batten and Allen Ltd, a company which manufactures miniature precision electronic pressings and assemble signs, causing a 60ft gap.

Gloucestershire police spokesman Steve Partridge said hundreds of the crates carrying the chickens spilled out onto the road and many of the birds were killed or injured.

Two cars belonging to employees of Batten and Allen Ltd were damaged when the lorry careered into the wall.

Toolmaker Nick Southwell, the owner of a BMW car which was hit, said: "I've just had the car mended and had it back two weeks so I'm not very happy."

Brian Cooper, the owner of the other car, a Rover, added: "I was inside when someone came in to tell us what happened.

"I was very shocked and the poor chickens were shocked. They couldn't even walk."

The lorry driver, who was travelling from the Swindon direction, was taken to hospital suffering from minor injuries.

Police closed off the roads until 6pm to clear the scene and recover the lorry.

Cirencester fire-fighters and a team of workers from the processing plant, where the lorry was heading to before the crash, helped with the clear-up.

Gloucestershire Trading Standards, an animal welfare officer from Cotswold District Council, a Defra vet and RSPCA officials were informed of the crash.

Nigel Dunford, principal animal health welfare officer for Gloucestershire County Council, said: "About 1,500 were either killed or euthanased at the scene.

"At the time the most thing was to look after the birds that were still alive and get them transported to another vehicle.

"The accident is being investigated to find out if there was any breach of the Welfare of Animals Transport Order 1995 then a report will be processed."

Local RSPCA officer David Johnson-Hill, added: "The biggest problem was that a lot of them were stacked like a pack of cards against each other or on top of each other, in 1ft high crates measuring a metre and a half in length by half a metre wide.

"It's not illegal to transport them like this, but we would prefer something different.

"I think 70 percent of the chickens were saved."

The chickens were being transported from a Warwickshire farm by The Faccenda Group, based in Northamptonshire.

A company spokesman said: "All we can say is the accident is now part of an on-going investigation.

"The vehicle is with the vehicle inspector and we have not yet had a chance to interview the driver."

Police are appealing for any witnesses to the crash to contact them on 0845 090 1234.