A lorry driver is facing an additional allegation following an accident in which a young council employee was left fighting for her life.

A 23-year-old Totton woman was seriously injured while walking through Lyndhurst after a passing HGV shed part of its load.

Now, the driver is set to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court later this month to face two allegations.

Having previously been accused of driving with an unsecured load, Slawomir Kotlowski, 40, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, is now accused of causing serious injury by careless driving as well.

The case involving the first allegation was previously due to have been heard at Aldershot Magistrates' Court on March 18.

Daily Echo: Police on the A35 outside the former Lyndhurst Park HotelPolice on the A35 outside the former Lyndhurst Park Hotel (Image: Newsquest)

A police spokesperson said: "A female pedestrian suffered serious injuries after a pallet of bricks became dislodged from a passing lorry and struck her.

"Following a thorough investigation, a 40-year-old man has received a postal requisition to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on 27 February."

READ MORE: Lorry driver due in court after lorry sheds load

The lorry was heading west on the A35 when the accident occurred outside the former Lyndhurst Park Hotel in October 2022.

Police closed the eastern end of the main shopping street between its junctions with the A337 Lyndhurst to Lymington road and the B3056 Lyndhurst to Beaulieu route.

A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance was sent to the scene and landed on a large area of grassland behind the hotel.

Daily Echo: A female pedestrian was seriously injured when a lorry shed its load in the centre of LyndhurstA female pedestrian was seriously injured when a lorry shed its load in the centre of Lyndhurst (Image: Newsquest)

Paramedics rushed to the aid of the casualty, who was taken to University Hospital Southampton after receiving emergency treatment. Her condition was later described as critical.

Speaking at the time Lyndhurst trader Jonah Norris said: "I saw three ambulances and two police cars, you could tell that something was happening.

"Lyndhurst is normally quite a sleepy place and you know when something is going on. There's a feeling in the village."

Other traders said the first they knew of the incident was when traffic stopped passing their shops.

The casualty was later identified as a Totton woman who worked for New Forest District Council, which is based at Appletree Court, Lyndhurst.

She is believed to have been walking to or from the council offices when the accident happened.