Updated 7.10pm with company statement

The moment a British-era red phone box was hit and demolished by a reversing delivery truck in Valletta was recorded on CCTV footage which surfaced on Wednesday.

The phone box in Merchants Street was hit accidentally at 8.40am on Tuesday. The police said the driver stayed on site to assist in their investigations. 

In the video, provided by The Malta Independent, a truck is seen reversing straight into the telephone box.

As it hits the phone box, a tourist covers her ears at the sound of the crash.

The driver of another van jumps out of his van to get a better glimpse of what happened. The video ends with another delivery truck driving and stopping in front of the CCTV camera.

Company: We take full responsibility

In a statement, the company responsible for the delivery van said that it took full responsibility for the mishap. 

"We are looking into how we can actively engage with the authorities to ensure that the situation is rectified. Our goal is to address and redress the damage in a manner that respects the cultural and historical significance of the impacted property," a spokesperson for Nectar said.

The spokesperson noted that the delivery driver had immediately reported the incident to the police.  

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici told parliament on Tuesday that the historic phone booth will be re-assembled and restored.  

The red phone boxes were given grade 2 protection in 2001 and the government had announced plans in 2018 to restore the 11 examples found in Valletta, mostly in Republic Street and Merchants Street.