Cradley crash: Lucky escape for resident as car careers into his house
A man had a lucky escape after a car smashed into the front of his house and a neighbouring shop before coming to rest on its side.
The Mini Cooper slammed through metal railings hitting the side of the front room of the house in Cradley on New Year's Day.
A man living inside had been sat at his computer in the front window just minutes before the accident.
Debris and twisted metal railings were scattered across Windmill Hill, in Colley Gate, following the crash, next door to signage premises Trico.
Residents say that the car left the road, hit the metal railings, bounced off one property and flipped onto its side.
It happened just before 6am, doors away from the Little Chop House pub.
A man in the car had scrambled out of the wreckage by the time emergency services arrived.
A resident, who only gave his name as Chad, who has lived at the property for four years, said he was woken by the sound of a huge bang. The house had part of its front window and bricks underneath smashed in.
"I hadn't long gone to bed as I had been celebrating the New Year," he explained. "I'd been sat at my computer near the front window not that long before, so if it had happened earlier then I could have been hurt.
"It was just before 6am and I was in bed and heard this almighty bang. I rushed to get dressed then some neighbours had come outside.
"The car had smashed through the railings and bounced off one property, flipped over and smashed through the shop next door and the side of my house.
"A guy was just getting out of the car when I came outside – it was a shock.
"It is just really lucky that no one was injured.
"If it had not had been for the metal barriers then it could have been a different situation," he added.
The car slammed into the front door and window of Trico – but fire crews believed there to be no major structural damage.
A member of staff from Trico was present at the scene but did not want to comment.
The resident was able to remain living at the property following the aftermath of the accident.
The driver was given first aid at the scene by paramedics. West Midlands Police spokesman Brigg Ford said a 20-year-old man from Halesowen was initially arrested on suspicion of drink driving but he was later released without charge.
Crews from Stourbridge and Haden Cross fire stations attended to ensure the car was safe and to check on the structure of the buildings afterwards.
They left the scene shortly after 6.40am. Temporary barriers and bags of sand were put in place while a clean-up got underway later.
Part of the car was cut off due to the impact of the crash with splintered window panes and parts of the bodywork strewn on the ground. Pieces of glass remained scattered across the road and walkway. Bricks from both properties were visible on the pavement while the curtains from the house, that were still drawn, were hanging out of the smashed window on their pole.
Haden Cross fire station tweeted shortly after the accident urging drivers to be cautious, by stating: "Please be careful driving today. The roads are slippery." Police remained at the scene until later in the day with workers arriving to carry out repairs.
