Milk tanker driver dies after crash in Dorchester, Dorset

Personal Injury Dorset

A MILK tanker driver died when her vehicle left the road and rolled into a field near Dorchester.

The 52-year-old female driver was pronounced dead when police arrived at the scene of the incident shortly after 2am yesterday on the road between Martinstown and the Monkey’s Jump roundabout.

The route was closed in both directions for much of yesterday morning as police arranged for the tanker to be drained and recovered.

Officers were also investigating the scene of the incident, with no other vehicles believed to be involved.

The woman’s next of kin have been informed.

Speaking at the scene Sergeant Joe Pardey, from Dorset Police’s traffic unit based at Dorchester, said the incident was reported to police at around 2.10am yesterday.

He said: “We were called by a member of the public who reported that a lorry was on its side in a field.

“The police arrived at the scene and found that the lady driver was dead inside.

“She was a 52-year-old woman from the Blandford area and was the only occupant.”

Sgt Pardey added: “It certainly doesn’t look at this stage that any other vehicles or anybody else was involved.

“At this stage we don’t know a reason why she’s left the road.

“The collision investigators are having a look and will come up with more conclusions as to what happened.”

The milk tanker was owned by Chippenham-based company Wincanton.

A spokesman for the firm said: “We can confirm that one of our milk tanker drivers has been involved in a fatal accident south west of Dorchester on an unclassified road between Winterborne St Martin and Monkey’s Jump roundabout. “Our immediate thoughts are with her family and friends. This is a very tragic accident.

“However, until a full investigation has been carried out, we are unable to comment further on its cause.”

Sgt Pardey said the recovery effort involved pumping all of the milk from the vehicle before it could be removed, while Dorset Fire and Rescue Service assisted with extracting the body from the vehicle.

source: dorsetecho.co.uk