Firm investigating claims works van damaged couple's car

Morrison Utility Services told angry motorist Jane Weatherstone that there was no way their driver had dented the vehicle on Avenue Road, Wath, which electricity works snarled up for weeks.

But car owners Jane and husband Lee insist the damage - which may cost £1,100 to repair -happened as the lorry passed.

Lee (42), who works for a construction firm, said it looked suspiciously like a truck tyre made the dents and scrapes.

Morrison initially disputed their claim but a spokesman said: “We have been in regular contact with Mrs Weatherstone and would like to reassure her that we are fully investigating the matter and that it has now been referred to our insurance company.”

Jane (43) said she had tried to leave home in the car on April 24, but found that Morrison lorries blocked both ends of her street.The contractor was working on Northern Powergrid works which ran along the road for weeks, with barriers creating a tight squeeze for vehicles.

“When I first went out there were no marks on the car,” Jane said.

“I couldn’t go anywhere, so I went back inside.”

She tried again a short time later, just after one of the wagons edged past the car. That was when she noticed the damage.

When a Morrison supervisor pointed out the driver to Jane, she got an earful of angry denial, she claims.

“I’m really annoyed because this guy’s supervisor allowed him to mouth off,” she said.

“He should have stepped forward and told him not to speak to me like that.

“I said I wasn’t accusing him of doing it deliberately \_ he might have done it without knowing - but he was really shouting and mouthing off.”

Jane added: “I complained by phone and email, but Morrison just say we have to go through our insurance company because they didn’t do it.”

Lee said he has seen lorries do similar damage in the past.

“We’re 95 per cent sure Morrison did it,” he said.

“The street is so narrow and Morrison had lorries going up and down.”

He added: “It’s not a cheap, old car - we’ve only had it a year.

“We just want them to be reasonable and admit it was probably them.

“If you lined their tyre up with the damage, it would be obvious.

“It just doesn’t seem fair that we have to put up with this.

“It’s been bad enough trying to park around here, with all the roadworks.”

A spokeswoman for Northern Powergrid said: “We have been in direct communication with Mr Weatherstone and have ensured that our contractor Morrison, who were working in the area, have received all information regarding his vehicle.

“We have been reassured by Morrison that they have investigated the incident and have now passed the details to their insurance company as well as providing those details to Mr Weatherstone.”