A LORRY driver caused hours of delays on the A23 after failing to safely stow a large digger bucket on the back of his vehicle.

Joshua Scofield was driving southbound neat the village of Warninglid, near Haywards Heath, on November 3 last year but failed to lower the crane - despite an alarm system on the vehicle warning him about the fault.

Footage from a vehicle travelling behind the lorry showed the bucket hoisted into the air as the lorry drove towards a bridge.

The digger bucket struck the bridge and broke off the vehicle from the impact, but Scofield continued to drive.

The road had to be closed in both directions after the collision while engineers inspected the bridge to see if it was secure.

The 30-year-old stopped at nearby Bolney and was questioned by police. Officers also found the lorry had two defective tyres, which could have blown out.

Scofield, from Wells Road in Crawley, was charged and appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on August 15, where he admitted dangerous driving.

He was disqualified from driving for a year and must take an extended retest before being allowed to drive again.

The court also ordered him to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

PC Barry Freeman from the Commercial Vehicle Unit said: “The footage from the A23 is shocking - Scofield is extremely lucky not to have killed or seriously injured himself or another road user.

“It is the responsibility of drivers to make sure their vehicles is roadworthy and that the load has been safely secured or stowed.

“We are pleased that a dangerous driver has been taken off our roads.”