Town's historical Jubilee clock flattened by lorry

A historic town clock, built in 1898 to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, has been flattened by a lorry.

The much-loved Grade II listed Jubilee clock in Cricklade, Wiltshire, was knocked down at about 22:00 GMT on Tuesday, according to the town council, which owns and maintains the landmark.

Chairman Mark Clerk said the clock outside the Vale Hotel in the high street, which was funded by public subscriptions, was "iconic" and that it was a "sad day" for the town.

The cast-iron clock is more than 125 years old and had its face repaired after a military vehicle hit it in 1945.

Clerk said: "The clock face was rebuilt last time. I think that shattered.

"And it obviously is completely shattered now because it's quite a tall clock and so it hit the ground, obviously, with a lot of force and a lot of noise."

The council said it had informed its insurance company and residents should "rest assured" that it would take "urgent action" to "return it to its full glory".

"I know the word iconic is sort of used very loosely these days, but it's certainly true of the clock in Cricklade," Clerk said.

"Thousands of people see it every day as they walk and drive through. So, it is a shock to see it lying on the ground.

"It's very badly damaged...it's cast iron, so it's shattered in various places - it's a hell of a mess."

The BBC has contacted Wiltshire Police for more information.

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