A PARISH councillor in a Saddleworth village has launched a campaign to prevent lorries using satnav devices not designed for them to prevent further damage and chaos in its historic square.

Cllr Max Woodvine is raising a petition among local residents following an incident in September last year when a 40ft long heavy goods vehicle toppled a historic monument - the Ramsden Memorial - in Dobcross Square before crashing into an ancient cottage.

The vehicle had apparently been misdirected by a satnav device normally used for cars, not lorries.

Now, Cllr Woodvine - Saddleworth's youngest councillor - wants a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) introduced in the village square which could see a weight limit introduced.

He said: “A weight limit would be a legal control imposed to protect the character of Dobcross.

"It has been some months since that chaotic day which resulted in thousands of pounds in damage, so I will be working constructively to prevent the situation from reoccurring in future. Rather than wait for it to happen again it is much better to take action now.”

He added that if a lorry needed to make deliveries to the Swan Inn pub or other businesses, it would be exempt from the TRO, but hoped they would be "courteous" by using access via Sugar Lane which wdas "much moree

He added: “If an HGV needs to make deliveries to the Swan Inn or other businesses they will be exempt from the TRO, but I hope that they would be so courteous as to use Sugar Lane which is much more suitable.”

The matter will be brought forward at the next meeting of the Traffic & Transport Committee, once Saddleworth has returned to normality, he said.