Lorry lifted out of Bristol Harbour after nine hours

The truck was on the Harbourside as part of the production crew for Stephen Merchant's latest TV show "The Outlaws"

It's not yet clear how the lorry managed to end up in the water
Author: James DiamondPublished 21st Oct 2021

A lorry that had rolled into the Bristol Harbourside has been lifted out of the water around nine hours after it first fell in.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service were first called to the scene by Millennium Square at around 7:20am this morning.

A witness reported hearing distressed shouting and then a loud splash as the lorry fell in.

"I just heard a lot of shouting and somebody shouting 'no, no, no!'" Phil who was on a boat nearby told us.

"I thought somebody was either being pushed or going in the water or falling over or something.

"Then I heard a big splash and I thought, 'well something's gone in.'

"I came up on deck and sure enough there's a truck in the water."

We've had it confirmed that the truck is part of the production crew for Stephen Merchant's latest TV show The Outlaws, which is being filmed across Bristol.

In a statement sent to us by the BBC they confirmed no one was hurt.

"An accident occurred involving one of our production vehicles," it reads.

"No one was hurt or in the vehicle.

"We are investigating what happened and working on removing the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible.”

Many people have been making light of the situation on social media.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service group leader Gareth Lloyd said this morning he thought it could take all day to get the lorry out.

"It's going to be really interesting I think as a recovery phase for the recovery operator," he told us.

"They've obviously got to consider the weight of the vehicle but also the imposed load from the water, which adds probably 20 or 30 tonnes.

"It's going to be a challenge for them."

The lorry's fuel tank had to be drained before it could be removed from the water to avoid potential spillages.

Crowds have gathered throughout the day to witness the scene and watch the recovery attempt.

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