A woman arrived home to discover the front wall of her 14th-Century home demolished.

Tracey Pinon, 33, of Hassocks Road, Hurstpierpoint, has been left with thousands of pounds worth of damage by what appears to have been a truck crashing into the £500,000 house.

A huge hole remains in the side of her house four months after the accident because no one will take responsibility and pay for repairs.

The property is on what locals believe is a dangerous bend and Miss Pinon said this was not the first time a vehicle had accidentally smashed into her home.

She said eye-witnesses had come forward and identified the culprits - workmen laying white lines.

But no one has owned up and Sussex Police have discontinued the case.

Miss Pinon, who lives with her partner Darren Norman and their three-year-old daughter Grace, said: "I am absolutely disgusted no one will take responsibility for this.

"I had come home from taking Grace to nursery and saw the whole of the front wall and the gate were lying in the road.

"I rang the police because it is a very dangerous bend and they advised me to call the highways department at the council.

"We didn't know who had done it but there was yellow paint on the wall and I told the highways department that there would be a vehicle driving around with a serious dent in the side of it."

Damage Contractors for West Sussex County Council said they had seen the damage and it had been there before they arrived to paint road markings.

Miss Pinon said: "The problem is that we cannot do anything about the damage.

"The council says the road has to be closed in order to repair the wall and this means we need a builder who has a high insurance policy.

"So no small building firm will touch the job and the job is too small for a large firm.

"It is a shame because it was an original wall from the 14th Century.

"I don't see why we should have to pay for it through our insurance when it is nothing to do with us.

"A van crashed into the house a year ago as well but he was a builder and he came and repaired the damage.

"It is dangerous to leave the damage as it is. I have a young daughter and, at the moment, there is a big hole where she could step right on to the road."