Car just misses house in crash drama

A car smashed through a garden wall, stopping just yards from the front door of a house, and landed on its roof after colliding with another on a busy Black Country road.

The blue Honda Civic narrowly avoided hitting the house in Hurst Road, Coseley. It had collided with a silver Citroen Saxo, which then struck a tree before ending up in the middle of the road.

A 24-year-old woman travelling in the Saxo was airlifted to hospital with a suspected fractured leg and pelvis, while the male driver escaped with minor injuries.

The 18-year-old man who was driving the Honda Civic and his teenage girlfriend both managed to climb out of the overturned car.

He suffered chest pain from a seatbelt injury while she sustained a suspected broken leg.

Sergeant Ferras Hatherson, from the collision investigation unit, said police were investigating the cause of the crash, which closed off part of the road for more than four hours.

"Two cars were travelling along Hurst Road towards Woodcross," he said.

"For reasons unknown at this stage both drivers lost control and one vehicle collided with a tree and the other with a garden wall causing extensive damage."

Neighbours spilled out on to the streets to see what had happened.

Mother-of-three Jackie Hopkins, whose garden wall was destroyed in the crash, described hearing an "awful noise".

"We were in the house and we just heard a big bang and saw all the smoke come out of the car which was upside down," she said.

"We ran out and saw people getting out of the car. It was just a big mess.

"We were just concerned in case anybody was badly injured."

Mrs Hopkins said the road was a notorious accident blackspot and called for the city council to introduce traffic calming measures.

Fire crews from Dudley and Tipton were called to the scene, while two air ambulances landed in a nearby playing field.

Matt Rose, from Dudley Fire Station, said: "The engine of the Saxo came off and landed yards from where the accident happened. It must have been a pretty big impact."

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash to call the traffic policing unit on 0845 113 5000.