LORRIES and vans are crashing into residents’ walls as they cut through residential streets to reach an industrial estate, it has been claimed.

Len Warren, 79, says vehicles are ignoring weight and width restrictions in Wick Lane, Wickford, after a van smashed into his wall at the front of his house on Tuesday.

The road leads to a narrow, fragile, railway bridge, before leading to industrial sites in Russell Gardens.

Mr Warren, who lives with his wife Elsie, 82, watched a Transit van drive off after doing a three-point turn outside his house and crashing into his wall. He will now have to shell out hundreds of pounds to fix the mess.

He said: “The standard of driving is pathetic.

“On Tuesday I heard an almighty bang.I went running out and someone had hit the wall and driven off.

“This is the second time this has happened and every time it comes out of my pocket. It looks a mess.”

He said his neighbours have also been victim to “thoughtless” drivers, while lorries also reversed into nearby The Dell and Glebe Road.

Mr Warren added: “It’s becoming a regular occurrence.

Next door had their wall knocked down too,” .

“We are getting 30 tonne lorries coming up Wick Lane.

“I have a bad back so there’s not a great deal I can do, but I could spend all day, all week repairing a wall and as I walk away with my tools, it happens again.”