Couple ‘second from tragedy’ as car crashes
ACOUPLE said they are lucky to be alive after a car was launched into the air and landed three feet away from them in a terrifying crash.
Tony Grogan and his partner Kim Worrall’s Sunday evening stroll was ‘one second from tragedy’ after the incident on Stanhill Lane, Oswaldtwistle, just after 7pm, which saw a driver having to be cut free from his car by firefighters.
Neighbours said up to 100 people gathered in the aftermath of the crash, which closed the road for more than two hours.
Tony, who lives on Millbrook Close, said five police cars, two fire engines and two ambulance vehicles had to attend.
The Army veteran of 23 years’ service had popped out with his partner for a Sunday walk when, to their horror, they witnessed a red Ford Fiesta hit a parked Mercedes van, and take off, before landing on its roof.
Tony, who has sons Sam and Daniel, said the front seat passenger one man was ‘walking wounded’ and a female back seat passenger had been in the car, but the driver was trapped inside the vehicle.
He said: “I went into the car to see if I could get him out, but there was no way I could. They were hugely lucky. It could have been horrific. I got home and we were chatting to my two sons, saying you nearly had a policeman knocking on your door tonight saying your dad is never coming home. The only time I’ve had closer scrapes than that was in Afghanistan.”
One neighbour said he was stunned to see a car upside down in the middle of the road, adding: “A garden nearby had kids playing on the swings. It’s just a horrible situation. The next door neighbour has been here for 25 years and their car was written off.”
A fire service spokesperson said: “Two fire engines from Hyndburn were called to a road traffic collision involving one car on Stanhill Lane, Oswaldtwistle just before 7.10pm on Sunday, August 30. Firefighters used cutting equipment to release one casualty from the car. The casualty was later taken to hospital by North West Ambulance Service.”
A police spokesman said: “We were called to a road traffic collision at 7.04pm on August 30. It appears a car has overturned and the driver has become trapped. He was freed from the vehicle by firefighters and taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital. His injuries were not serious and has since been discharged. A female passenger and a male passenger both suffered minor injuries. A 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving with excess alcohol and has since been released under investigation. Enquiries are ongoing and anyone.” Email PC David Todhunter at 3730@ lancashire.pnn.police.uk or call 101, quoting log 1335 of August 30, 2020 with information
CALLS for traffic calming on road - see page five