There have been some dramatic scenes in our village this evening (Thursday 12th November) after a van ended up on the pavement lodged between parked cars and the wall of a terraced cottage on one of Ruddington’s oldest roads.
These three photographs, taken by John Noble of The Three Crowns, show how a street lamp was demolished during the incident, which happened at around 7pm apposite his pub on a narrow section of Easthorpe Street.
It followed a lengthy Nottinghamshire Police chase by officers from the St Ann’s knife crime team when they sighted a vehicle with false plates near to the Chilwell retail park at around 5pm today. The van failed to stop and, after speeding into Ruddington along Easthorpe Street, came head to head with a backup police car coming the other way! As a result, the offending vehicle ended up on the pavement wedged between parked cars and the house wall as its driver and passenger apparently tried to evade capture.
Police confirm two men, aged 44 and 24, were arrested at the scene and numerous, suspected stolen goods were located inside the van. To add to the drama, the gas board and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue were also in attendance, as a precaution, after the suspected stolen vehicle hit a gas main.
Demand Management Inspector, Craig Nolan, says: “Both the knife crime and operational support teams along with our colleagues at the fire and rescue and East Midlands Ambulances services have been involved in this incident and their quick, professional actions along with their tenacity and team work has resulted in it being brought to a safe conclusion. We’ve been out on the street this evening, talking to residents who will have been concerned after seeing the emergency services in the area and would have been wondering what happened.”
He adds: “Unfortunately at least three parked vehicles were damaged along with the suspected stolen vehicle and work is underway to establish who they belong to. Enquiries will now continue into the circumstances around the job as the two men remain in custody.”
It’s thought the old, terraced property may need to be inspected for possible structural damage, too, after the van’s rear end became lodged up at an angle against its front wall.
Easthorpe Street remained closed until around 10.30pm whilst emergency services attended the scene to remove the felled street lamp, release the vehicle and make good the gas leak. Passengers aboard NCT’s Green 10 buses also found themselves diverted during the incident.
