Builder who destroyed new Travelodge reception located by police

A builder who used a digger to destroy a newly constructed reception at Travelodge Liverpool over an alleged £600 pay dispute has been located by detectives investigating the case.

A report was received by Merseyside Police shortly before 3pm on Monday (21 January) that a digger was being driven into the entrance of the Travelodge building in the Liverpool Innovation Park.

According to reports the digger crashed through the main entrance of the property, destroying the doors, reception desk and windows. The driver then left the vehicle and made off on foot in the direction of Edge Lane.

He will be interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.

According to the police, one man experienced eye irritation due to exposure to diesel and was treated at the scene by North West Ambulance Service. It is not believed anyone else was injured during the incident.

Ceiling fixer Samuel White told the BBC that the driver was involved in a pay dispute over £600 with contractors at the hotel.

He said: “The handover was today. Everything completed, we’d put the last tile in, cleaned up and made sure everything was perfect. Then some idiot in a mini digger decided to drive through the middle of the building.”

“There were loads of workers outside all gobsmacked, jaws to the floor wondering what’s going on. The site manager was running around like a headless chicken, he wasn’t happy at all.”