Lorry carrying 20 tonnes of prosecco loses load in motorway crash

WorldFood
28 Apr 2026 • 2:01 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Lorry carrying 20 tonnes of prosecco loses load in motorway crash

Smashed bottles of prosecco caused “major disruption” on the M4 after a lorry carrying 20 tonnes of the Italian sparkling wine collided with another HGV, police said.

Boxes of prosecco spilled across the carriageway from one of the lorries on Monday morning, leaving “significant debris” and “smashed glass throughout”, while the other lorry had its empty container dislodged, Thames Valley Police’s roads policing team said on social media.

The damaged lorry which had been carrying 20 tonnes of prosecco (Thames Valley Police/PA) (PA Media)

One driver is under investigation for dangerous driving – with early indications suggesting they may have been using a mobile phone at the wheel – following the collision between junctions 13 and 14 near Newbury and Hungerford, Berkshire.

The force added that “amazingly” only person had suffered minor injuries.

“Not quite the roadside refreshment anyone had in mind,” police said.

One of the HGVs involved in the crash (Thames Valley Police/PA) (PA Media)

National Highways was alerted to the incident at 7.37am.

Recovery of the vehicles was completed by 11.30am and the debris was cleared by 12.56pm, they said.

The M4 reopened by 14.20pm following a temporary closure, during which diversion routes were put in place.

Thames Valley Police have been contacted for further comment.