Driver of tipper truck which killed four people passed HGV licence just FIVE DAYS before
THE DRIVER of a runaway tipper truck which killed four people had passed his HGV test just five days before the tragic incident, it has emerged.
Philip Potter posted a picture of himself proudly posing with his HGV licence on Facebook on February 4 - just a day after his birthday.
His father wrote on the website: "Very proud day of Phillip Potter passing his HGV artic test first time day after his nineteenth birthday well done - feeling happy."
The 19-year-old, a farmer's son from Grittenham, Wiltshire, was driving for local firm Grittenham Haulage when the crash took place on Monday afternoon.
It is believed that the tipper – one of five vehicles licensed to the firm - was carrying sand from Hills Quarry in Cirencester around an hour's drive from where the crash happened.
It is is understood that a sign warning of a 6ft width limit on Landsdown Lane, where the incident took place, had been knocked over by a car some weeks earlier during icy weather.
A relative of Mr Potter, who did not want to be named, described him as "loyal and hard-working".
They said: "He's a lovely person. He is quite reserved in some respects but he is a lovely person.
"He's loyal and a hard working nice man. Nobody wants to be in this situation. It is all very, very difficult.
"He's one of these people that you know the last thing he would want to be involved in is a situation where there has been an accident. Nobody wants to be involved in that.
He's loyal and a hard working nice man
"If you could change tomorrow, or change yesterday, wouldn't you just?
"It's like all accidents, we just wish we weren't there at that particular time. We would all change it. We all feel very sorry about it all.
"You just have to try and get your life back on track.
"If I was involved in any accident and it was really not good, I would never drive again."
They added: "I gave him a big hug the other day and I said to him we are all with you and feel for you.
"Well, I don't know how you tell people to move on in this situation."
Robert Parker, 59, from Cwmbran, and Philip Allen, 52, and Stephen Vaughan, 34, both from Swansea, died during the tragedy in Bath, Somerset on Monday.
Four-year-old Mitzi Rosanna Steady, from Bath, also suffered fatal injures as she was hit by the truck as she walked down the road with her grandmother.
The woman, named as Margaret Rogers, is currently in hospital fighting for her life.
It also emerged today that Mr Parker, a power company manager, had recently been planning his retirement with his family.
The father-of-one is said to have wanted to scale back on his work commitments at Western Power Distribution where he worked as a projects manager, in order to spend more time with his wife Denise, also 59.
Mr Parker had lived in Cwmbran, South Wales, for his entire life and the couple wanted to see the world together.
He had been in Bath on a business trip with his colleague Mr Allen when the taxi they were travelling in - driven by newly-wed Mr Vaughan - was hit by the out-of-control truck.
Mr Parker's family friend Brian Pritchard, 81, said: "He was thinking about his retirement and all of a sudden, it's gone.
"It had to be someone, but we hoped it was not him."
Avon and Somerset Police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
