A LORRY driver has died after his tanker struck a wall in Holme.

The man in his 50s died at the crash scene in the middle of the moorland village.

It happened at around 11.20am yesterday in Woodhead Road, Holme, and one theory is that the man may have collapsed at the wheel.

The road, which is the main road through Holme village, runs over Holme Moss to the busy Woodhead Pass. It was shut for the majority of yesterday to allow police to deal with the tragedy.

Several police vehicles and fire crews from Holmfirth, Huddersfield and Meltham, were called to the crash which happened near The Fleece pub.

A road ambulance and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance were also called to the scene.

The helicopter landed in the village recreation ground but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fire crews were called initially due to concerns the tanker, which was carrying liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, was leaking.

But on arrival the firefighters checked the highly-flammable load – used in domesticheating appliances – and found it to be stable.

Huddersfield Crew Commander Dean Hodge told the Examiner: “We received a call to Woodhead Road after a tanker carrying LPG had crashed into a wall.