Man is charged over digger damage

House demolished by digger Enlarge Image

A 52-year-old man has been charged after a house and cars were demolished with a mechanical digger.

Essex police were called to a caravan park in Bradwell-on-Sea on Tuesday.

Robert Taylor, of no fixed address, is accused of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and is due before Chelmsford magistrates on Thursday.

He is also charged with three counts of criminal damage, affray and assault on a police officer. A police car was damaged in the incident.

James Harvard, who owns the damaged house and caravan park, said the scene was like an "earthquake zone".

He said his partner Janice Gledhill, who is in her 40s, was alone in the house at the time it was damaged.

Ashley the cat was found sunning herself on the damaged building

Mr Harvard said: "Janice was in the bedroom. She got out without being hurt. She was lucky to get out alive."

The couple said they were relieved their cat Ashley, an eight-year-old pedigree Korat, had returned after vanishing when the house was demolished.

Ms Gledhill said: "We had been going through the rubble looking for her and we were beginning to think the worst.

"But all of a sudden she appeared on the top floor and was lying in the sun watching everybody. We are incredibly relieved."