A South Hams District Council van crashed into Modbury Post Office this morning (30 April), destroying the shop window.

The South Hams District Council van had been parked on Brownston Street when a mechanical error caused the van to roll down the hill.

Jenny Jones, post mistress and a solicitor at Devon Law, commented: “I got a phone call this morning, at about quarter to eight, to say that a South Hams van was in the shop window.

“They were cleaning the toilets and the handbrake, we think, gave way and the van came down. There had been school children at the bus stop, but luckily nobody got hurt.

 “The van came across the street, came into the window and then came into the shop. Literally, it mounted up and actually physically came into the actual shop. “

Broad Street, where Modbury Post Office is located, is the main link road between Kingsbridge and Plymouth.

Steven Mullineaux, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Customer Service Delivery at South Hams District Council, who was at the scene said:

“I have been to Modbury this morning, to speak directly to those concerned in the incident. It was an unfortunate and regrettable incident and we’re really thankful that nobody was hurt.

“We are supporting the owner of the business to make the property safe and we are in contact with our insurers. We are also supporting our own driver who is devastated about the incident.

“Early investigations lead us to believe that the incident was a mechanical failure on the vehicle and we are assured it wasn’t driver error.

“I would like to assure everyone that we take public safety very seriously and we will be carrying out a thorough internal investigation into the vehicle failure.”

The driver passed a breathalyser test and the van has been taken for investigation.

Morbury Post Office, which also sells stationary, confectionaries and antiques, is described at the hub of the community - bringing in people from surrounding areas following other Post Office closures.

Post Office worker, Allison Whitney, commended Devon and Cornwall Police - who arrived to secure the area and supported those involved in the incident.

Despite similar incidences, Whitney went on to explain Devon County Council have proposed plans to remove bollards from this busy street.

A crash at The Brownston Gallery has left the building covered in scaffolding, and an elderly gentleman died in 2021 after being hit by a van on Broad Street.

Cllr Bernard Taylor, Ward Member for Charterlands, also at the scene, made assurances that he would be pushing Devon County Council to instead put more bollards in place, rather than remove them.

South Hams District Council have secured the scene and the Post Office is now open as usual.