THURROCK Council's chief executive has shared an embarrassing moment with staff colleagues, admitting she came close to losing her bearings and knocking her top off when entering the authority's civic offices.

Top officer Lyn Carpenter – who along with several other senior officers have come in for criticism for a propensity for working from home during the Covid crisis while front-line staff were out exposing themselves to risk – says a recent appearance for work at the New Road offices of the council nearly ended in disaster.

Ms Carpenter writes a weekly blog for staff members in which she has shared anecdotal recollections of fundraising friends and the problems of raising young children and in a recent post she detailed a close encounter with the roof of the council's car park.

She wrote to staff: "There are times when you think you are well in control, in a responsible job, a parent etc but then there are times when you realise it is all a bit of a facade!

"Note to self: remember to take the roof box off the car before trying to enter the underground car park at the Civic Office!

"Yep, it was almost a bit of a disaster but a full blown event avoided as I realised before I hit the low ceiling just past the barrier.

"Thought I might be able to quietly sneak it off, put it in the back of the car with the seats down and then drive away with a 'nothing to see here' attitude. However, a kind colleague came to my rescue to help me get it off said car roof and in to said car boot!

"Thank you to the person who helped me, I am still hoping he didn't know who I was and I managed to keep the near disaster under wraps!"