A MINEHEAD resident is calling for lorries to be banned from Middle Street after a heavy goods vehicle collided with his home as its driver tried to negotiate a sharp bend.

Ray Holland, who lives at number 11, said someone could be killed by falling debris if they happened to be walking past when an HGV struck either his or his neighbours' properties.

In the latest incident, a lorry took off roof tiles and damaged guttering and fascia as it tried to make the turn by Mr Holland's home into Watery Lane.

He said his property had been damaged around half a dozen times previously and said it was high time action was taken to prevent a serious accident.

"Fifty yards down the road from me is a first school and it was just lucky the children were on half term holiday when this happened as usually there would have been children walking past on their way home from school.

"Large lorries simply can't get round the corner and if they hit the house when someone is walking past, then that person could easily be killed.

"I'm not prepared to just wait for an accident to happen; something needs to be done. I want HGVs to be banned."

Mr Holland said he had contacted Minehead county councillor Terry Venner to try and secure action and had also contacted Somerset County Council staff in Minehead.

A spokesman for the authority, which has jurisdiction for the county's highways, said the situation was being looked in to.

She said: "Mr Holland went into our Minehead office last week and spoke to an officer.

"He was told that the county council could not arbitrarily place a ban on lorries on the road and that any restriction must be subject to a Traffic Regulation Order.

"However, we would not start that process without consulting the local county councillor and Minehead Town Council.

"A highways officer is also inspecting the road to see if there is any action that can be taken to alleviate the current situation."

Photo: Steve Guscott