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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Melanie Bonn

Shock as military truck hits Dunkeld hotel as pedestrians walk their children to school

A driver has been charged after a military vehicle crashed on a route used by families heading to the nearby primary school.

Police were called to the Atholl Arms Hotel in Dunkeld, Highland Perthshire minutes after the vehicle mounted the pavement and hit railings outside the building having taken a right turn off the bridge, according to witnesses.

The driver was seen to stop "for just seconds" after the impact but drove away without reporting the incident.

The hotel's outdoor seating metres from where the lorry hit was unattended at the time and luckily no-one was injured.

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Two pedestrians called the police and gave witness statements when officers arrived at the crash scene.

Hotel owner Zsolt Balogh told the PA guests saw the lorry hit the hotel corner from upstairs windows.

“Everybody in the hotel and people in Dunkeld who saw this are very shocked,” said Mr Balogh.

“Shocked that a big military vehicle could not make the turn.

“Shocked there were so many children walking right by when it happened. Shocked that the impact was so close to our outside seating area where thankfully no-one was at the time.”

Mr Balogh has been told the bill to fix the damage to his property could be between £10,000 and £20,000.A passerby captured an image of the truck rammed up against the hotel’s iron railings before it reversed and went on its way.

The pedestrian walkway - a busy route used by families heading to the Royal School of Dunkeld - was damaged and has been closed by Perth and Kinross Council officers.

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A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.10am on Tuesday, 22 September, 2020, police received a report that a vehicle struck a wall and gate on Tay Terrace in Dunkeld.

“The male driver has been charged in connection with road traffic offences and a report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.” 

Perthshire North MSP John Swinney said he was thankful that no one had been hurt.

  
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