Moment driver of stolen telehandler crashes into listed pub

Moment driver of stolen telehandler causes £200,000 worth of damage to Grade II listed pub in overnight rampage

• The Mucky Duck in Drakeholes, Nottinghamshire was attacked on Wednesday
• The stolen telehandler repeatedly rammed the Georgian-era Grade II listed pub

This is the moment a Grade II listed pub was severely damaged after it was rammed repeatedly by a suspect driving a stolen telehandler. 

The Mucky Duck in Drakeholes, Nottinghamshire, suffered damage estimated at £200,000 during the rampage on Wednesday night. 

Owner of the pub, Steve Bolland, has described the incident as ‘absolutely horrible’.  

The owner of a Grade II listed pub has revealed his shock after a driver of a stolen telehandler did £200,000 worth of damage to his building.

This is the moment a rampaging stolen telehandler crashed into the front of a Georgian-era pub causing it an estimated £200,000 worth of damage 

The Grade II listed Mucky Duck in Drakeholes, Nottinghamshire suffered extensive damage when the stolen piece of farm equipment repeatedly rammed the wall

The attack unfolded at around 11.50pm, when a Manitou farm telehandler vehicle was spotted on CCTV driving at speed through its garden and ploughing into the wall.

The shocking video showed how the vehicle repeatedly hit the late 18th-century inn’s brickwork and windows while crushing tables and chairs under its massive wheels.

The mystery driver also targeted the pub’s ancient archway during the hugely damaging rampage, which it’s believed only lasted for around a minute.

Mr Bolland said a neighbour had told him about the attack while it was happening over the phone, and his two children were the first to witness the scene of devastation.

He said: ‘I wasn’t there. My kids were there. They went up just after it happened. I got a call off a neighbour who lives just up the road.

‘He said “Steve, something gone off. There’s a digger ramming the building.” The kids got there two minutes later. My son shot up there.

‘It’ was absolutely horrible. It’s a grade two listed building, and every window in the building was targeted. As it’s built from the brick, the brick just crumbled.’

Inside the building, the scale of the damage was clearly apparent 

A neighbour rang Mr Bolland late on Wednesday night to tell him the pub was under attack

Mr Bolland said he had no idea who was responsible for the attack on his popular business

Mr Bolland said he didn’t know who was responsible but believed the value of the damage caused could reach £200,000.

He added: ‘I’ve no idea who it was. I’ve been wracking my brains.

‘But I’ve not been able to put a finger on anybody. It’s about a couple of £100,000 [worth of damage].’

Writing on social media, the pub, which employs 15 members of staff, said they would have to shut as police conduct inquiries into the disturbing incident.

They said: ‘Some bad news I’m afraid.

‘Unfortunately we are going to have to close until further notice due to someone deliberately causing serious damage to the building with a stolen teleporter.

The telehandler crashed through a gate and smashed over garden furniture before hitting the 18th century building

Mr Bolland advised customers: ‘We are going to work as hard as we can to get back open as soon as possible and when we have a date for this we will be sure to let you all know’

‘Don’t worry, they will not stop us from getting back open.

‘We are going to work as hard as we can to get back open as soon as possible and when we have a date for this we will be sure to let you all know.

‘All bookings will be contacted and we are incredibly sorry that you’ve been effected as well as us.’

The pub’s beautiful building was originally rebuilt in 1771 by Jonathan Acklom to serve passing traffic under the name of The White Swan.

The Bolland family, who now own the business, fell in love with the pub when they first set eyes on it.

And they have since undertaken renovations at the venue to bring it up to an ‘exceptional standard’.

MailOnline has approached Nottinghamshire Police for a comment. 

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