Hero Jack comes to the rescue after Rothwell road collapse left van in 'sinkhole' and driver with back injury

An early morning trip to the gym ended with a bang when a Rothwell driver’s van tyre disappeared down a gaping hole in the road surface.

Dean Holland had been reversing down Gladstone Street, a narrow cul-de-sac, when his 5am journey was cut short yesterday (Monday).

His van’s back wheel had broken through the road into an 80cm by 80cm chamber, leaving his vehicle up to its axle and stuck fast.

With his van blocking the street and unable to move, Dean rang an old school friend in the hope he could help.

He said: “I got a bit of a shock. I reversed my work van down the street. It sounded like a bomb. I felt a bloody great thud. I knew I hadn’t hit anything but my wheel had sunk into the surface of the road. The hole was a good 3-4ft deep. I was just shocked. The wheel was spinning.”

Still very early and in the dark, Dean called the only person who he thought could help, ex-school friend from their days at Montsaye, Jack Owens.

Jack’s family firm, Sean Owens Groundwork Contractors, has a van with a winch.

Jack said: “My mate rang me and said ‘I think I have hit a hole and got stuck’.

"When I got there his back wheel was stuck. The road had caved in. It was ever so deep and it got worse, it kept falling away.”

But because Dean’s van was blocking the road Jack was unable to use the winch.

He said: “I used my own strength. I had to try my hardest to push him out, the wheel was spinning. I patted my own back.”

After the van was freed Jack coned off the area, called the council, then drove a resident who needed to open up a factory to Desborough and took Dean for a check up for his injured back.

Now on painkillers, Dean said: “It was a blessing that he came out. He was brilliant. It’s definitely done damage to the van.

"I owe him a few beers to say thank you. He’s officially my hero.”

The road has now been mended and an investigation into the cause will take place.