Timber! This lorry, loaded with wood, flipped over and crashed near the Fortune of War roundabout on the A127.

The 24-year-old driver, from Woolwich, south-east London, was shaken up but otherwise unscathed.

The only casualty in the incident was a lamp-post, which was destroyed.

Traffic was brought to a halt for a short time but there was not too much misery for drivers.

PC Ian Packer, of Laindon traffic police, said: "Surprisingly, the traffic cleared very quickly. The accident probably caused a delay of about ten minutes.

"No other vehicle was involved and it is difficult to say what made the lorry topple over."

Drama - the truck blocks the road

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.