By Jenni DixonA HISTORIC home has been left badly damaged after a tractor and trailer overturned, sending several tonnes of polythene crashing into the building.

By Jenni Dixon

A HISTORIC home has been left badly damaged after a tractor and trailer overturned, sending several tonnes of polythene crashing into the building.

The tractor was being driven along the A12 through Yoxford when it toppled onto its side while negotiating a bend by the Kings Head pub and junction with the A1120.

Its trailer also came crashing to the ground and its load of 10 tonnes of bound polythene smashed through the garden wall of Bank House in Brook Street.

The bales demolished the front door and cracked the wall, as well as bringing down a nearby lamppost and road safety mirror.

The home's owners, Peter Shewy, 51, and his wife, Moira, had taken two of their children, Harriet, 12, and Piers, 13, for a walk near Dunwich when the accident happened - and were stunned to arrive back and find the crash scene.

Mrs Shewy, 44, said: "I'm just thankful no-one was inside the house and the children were not playing in the garden when this happened.

"It is a hair-raising corner, it's quite frightening when you're sitting in the house listening to the traffic go past."

The family bought the mid-19th Century building - a former school, workshop and bank - six years ago and also have a home in London.

Structural engineers are currently assessing the damage to the three-bedroom house, but Mrs Shewy said she thought the incident had put paid to the family staying there this summer.

The tractor driver was taken to the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston for treatment to minor back injuries following the crash, which happened at 2.15pm on Saturday.

Det Con Ian Hicks, who was at the scene, said: "The tractor was travelling north on the A12 when it overturned, with its load damaging the house. We believe its structure has been damaged quite substantially.

"It appears the trailer's load had shifted and we will be investigating whether it was not secured or it was the speed of the tractor."

It took recovery and highway services almost three hours to clear and repair the road before reopening it to traffic.

While the A12 was shut, traffic was diverted along the A1120, which was busier than usual because of Yoxford Primary School's annual summer fete.

Lorry driver Mark Nelson, 31, who was returning to his depot in Lowestoft after a week's driving, said: "I'm pretty frustrated at the moment as I'm on my way home."

jenni.dixon@eadt.co.uk