NORTH Yorkshire's main roads were thrown into turmoil today, after a truck carrying thousands of live chickens overturned on the A64 at Rillington.

The lorry blocked off a crucial junction, forcing drivers to use other routes to get to Malton, Scarborough and the surrounding areas.

As fire crews worked to free the driver, other efforts were made to gather up the chickens. Many died in the accident, but hundreds of others escaped. The incident happened at 4.18am, and the lorry blocked the westbound lane for several hours. The truck was carrying chickens for Grampian Food. It turned over at the A64 junction with Rillington High Street.

The driver, Alan John Roberts from Upton, near Chester, was taken to Scarborough Hospital with minor facial and chest injuries.

Traffic Constable Nick Skelton said: "There were 5,040 chickens on the lorry, an awful lot of them are dead. The cause of the accident is still under investigation."

Fire crews also attended the scene to cut the rear doors off the lorry, to help in salvaging the chickens and also to clean up a leak of engine oil from the lorry.

Villagers today demanded plans for a proposed by-pass in Rillington be given a greater priority.

Colin Wicks, who lives just a short distance from where the lorry crashed, said: "We need a by-pass. Three weeks ago, a lorry carrying steel tipped over in the village. I cannot understand why there is not a 30mph speed limit in the village."

The lorry landed on top of a wall next to an old school, which is now the village hall, causing severe damage. The wall was replaced a few years ago after another serious accident there.

lA woman was taken to hospital with serious injuries after a two-car crash at Dacre, near Harrogate.

Lynne Sudbury, 52, from Darley, had to be cut from her Jaguar car by firefighters after it was involved in a collision with a Land Rover.

She was taken to the high dependency unit at Harrogate District Hospital. Today, she remained under observation in the unit. Land Rover driver Robin Hardcastle, 17, from Hampsthwaite, was uninjured in the crash, which happened outside Abbots .

Just after 8am today a man was taken to hospital with serious leg and head injuries after the Peugeot 106 he was driving collided with a tree at Yapham Mill Crossroads.

PICTURE: Chickens from the overturned lorry, in the background, are herded into the churchyard at Rillington today

Picture: Garry Atkinson