That’s the last time I follow sat-nav! Driver, 80, survives 60ft cliff plunge
PARKING can be difficult at the best of times – but if there’s one spot where you can’t afford to make any mistakes it’s on the edge of a cliff.
An elderly driver miraculously survived a 60ft plunge after he mistakenly reversed over the top of rocks in Cornwall.
Witnesses said the 80-year-old was parking his blue Hyundai i20 near the cliff edge in New Polzeath, when he apparently misjudged the distance.
It is thought the man, who has not been named but lives in nearby Bodmin, was picking up his wife when the accident happened at around 4pm on Monday.
Pictures from the scene show that while the rear of the car is a mangled wreck, the front remains remarkably intact.
After the emergency services pulled the driver from the car, he was taken by air ambulance to hospital 45 miles away in Plymouth. Last night a spokesman for a local fire and rescue service said he remained in a stable condition.
The cliffs, near the affluent Cornish resorts of Rock and Padstow, are a popular destination for ramblers and families enjoying days out.
Witness Joe Combellack said: ‘I think he was probably parking up because he had to pick his wife up.
‘I heard a massive bang so I looked over. Next minute I saw two people jump out of the way and he’s just gone right over the edge of the cliff.’
A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed officers had attended the scene, adding: ‘The elderly male driver from Bodmin – the only occupant of the vehicle – was initially trapped in the vehicle.
‘He was extracted and treated by paramedics.’