Two taken to hospital after car crashes into Walsall house

Resident Carol Stone had been in the room just moments before the Ford Focus careered into the semi-detached property.

She had gone to check an email when the car is believed to have struck the garden wall, a Citroen parked on the drive and then ended up wedged in her home.

It caused damage to the porch and kitchen window of the property in Green Lane, Shelfield, just before 12.30pm yesterday. Structural engineers were called to assess the scene and the neighbouring address.

Her husband Alan was out at the time and received a call telling him of the accident. The 65-year-old said neighbours helped to get a shaken and screaming Mrs Stone from the house, which saw her have to crawl underneath the Focus. A man who was driving the car has been arrested on suspicion of taking the vehicle without the owner's consent. A female passenger also escaped with minor injuries.

Father-of-one Mr Stone said: "I haven't seen anything like this ever. I can't believe it, I never expected this. I just can't get my head around it at all. I haven't got a clue what we'll do."

Neighbours said there was an almighty bang when the accident happened. One resident Martin Bowater, aged 50, who lives in adjacent Greenfields Road, said: "It is just unbelievable. It is just like something on the TV in America."

Emergency services were sent to the scene and remained throughout the afternoon.

Watch commander Steve Palmer, from Aldridge fire station, said: "It was quite dramatic. It is not every day you get a car come through your kitchen window."

Bricks were left strewn across the driveway and the Focus had to be pulled from the front of the address by recovery workers.

West Midlands Police spokesman Billy Corrigan said a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

He said: "The man, who was driving the vehicle, has been arrested on suspicion of taking the vehicle without the owner's consent."