Man charged with drink driving after 15th century barn suffers ‘catastrophic’ damage

Lloyd Lambert has been charged after damage to barn near Colchester, Essex on Christmas Eve

The van crashed into the side of a 15th Century Barn in Great Tey (Essex Police / SWNS)

A man has been charged with drink driving after a 15th-century barn suffered "catastrophic" damage.

Lloyd Lambert, 33, is due to appear in court in early January following his arrest on Christmas Eve.

Emergency services were called to the scene near Colchester, Essex after a blue van collided with the converted building.

The van as also badly damaged in the incident (Essex Police / SWNS)

Police allege the driver blew a breathalyser reading of 74mcg, which is more than double the legal limit of 35mcg.

Lambert, of Southview Road, Vange, is set to appear at Basildon magistrates' court on January 3.

It is understood that no one was inside the property at the time of the smash and no one was hurt.

A man who drove past after the crash said he feared the barn’s roof may not survive as a result.

No one was believed to have been in the property at the time (Essex Police / SWNS)

Essex Police shared images of the incident on social media amid its wider campaign cracking down on drink drivers over the festive season.

The force tweeted: “Attended a collision where a van has crashed into a 15th Century converted barn near Little Tey causing catastrophic structural damage.

“Not the Xmas the homeowners expected.”