Warning to drivers after car crashes into house

POLICE have issued a warning to drivers after a car ploughed into a house.

Motorists are being urged “to drive carefully and considerately” on the road in Maesteg where the Ford Focus partially demolished the property while a family slept inside.

Despite the extensive damage to the house on Ewenny Road, no one was hurt in the crash at 1am on Monday.

But the incident angered residents who claim they have repeatedly called on Bridgend County Borough Council to install traffic-calming measures on that road and neighbouring Oakwood Drive.

Inspector Ross Crutcher of South Wales Police has subsequently confirmed that in the past 12 months, there have been five incidents involving what he called “the manner of driving” at Ewenny Road and Oakwood Drive.

He said one driver was reported for driving offences and another driver was issued with a Section 59 warning, which means that their vehicle could be seized if they continued to drive in a anti-social manner.

Cameron Davies, 33, his wife Kimberley, their four-year-old daughter Quaide and two-year-old son Crewe had been asleep upstairs when the car came through the front wall.

Neighbours terrified for the family’s safety ran to the house to find out if they were hurt and to help them escape.

“I heard glass and everybody shouting our names,” said Cameron, who plays in the back row for Maesteg RFC.

“I came downstairs. I thought the house was on fire because of the dust and stuff. You couldn’t see down the stairs.

“Then it was panic stations. The first thing on my mind was getting the kids out of the house.”

He passed the children through the small hole that remained above the car to neighbours waiting on the other side.

Neighbours said that about 17 years ago a motorbike crashed into the living room of the same house, number 17, which is now owned by the Davies family.

A car also previously crashed into number 16.

A Bridgend council spokesman said: “We understand that South Wales Police have made an arrest and are awaiting the outcome of their investigation.”

Insp Crutcher said: “We would like to warn drivers that this road is a narrow road whereby generally only one car can pass though at a time. Therefore, we would ask people to drive carefully and considerately when on this road.”

A South Wales Police spokeswoman said Owen Lyons, 21, from Maesteg, has been charged with driving without due care and attention and drink driving and will appear before magistrates in Cardiff later this month.