A LORRY driver has been praised for crashing his lorry into a hedge to avert a disaster.

Chris Jones was making Calor Gas deliveries in the Wye Valley on Sunday, when he encountered a 1-in-4 hill leading from Llanishen Village towards Llangovan, near Trellech.

As soon as the 42 year old tanker driver from Neath realised he was skidding almost out of control on the compacted ice, he deliberately put his lorry, half full of butane gas, into a hedge to prevent the tanker from hurtling down the steep hill into a cottage. 

The hill, which extends for over a mile, is part of the residential area of the village of Llanishen and is not on a priority list for gritting by the local authority – an empty grit box was all that was available for use.

Trellech United Community Councillor George Weston said: "This road can be very treacherous at the best of times and this occasion was no different. The road was covered in many places with compacted ice, which often does not melt from one day to the next.

"It was fortunate that the tanker driver made a swift decision to drive into the side of the road outside Pryske Cottage – by blocking it – rather than skidding further down the hill and perhaps causing a serious accident which could well have caused severe damage, and perhaps an explosion, given the nature of the cargo."

Richard Harris, who lives at the bottom of the hill in Glyn Farm said that they couldn't even get a tractor up the hill to help the driver.

Andrew Jenkins, the Calor Gas distribution manager said: "I had the call myself informing me that our driver had put the lorry into a ditch for safety.

"We pride ourselves with high calibre drivers and Chris obviously used his training and experience to avoid this potential disaster. The very nature of Calor Gas is that we supply to remote rural locations, often to places with difficult access and we always stress that safety is paramount and that drivers should not take chances under any circumstances.

"It's pleasing to hear that our driver's heroic efforts are being recognised by the local community and we shall be adding to them when he returns to work later this week."

Mike Harris, owner of Llanfair and Glyn Farms, both situated at the bottom of the hill, added: "The tanker driver used his skill to save his own life and to avert a disaster. If he hadn't carried out this emergency manoeuvre, he wouldn't be here now and the farm cottage would have been completely wrecked."

•Snowstorm hits Forest – page 15.