A grandmother escaped being mowed down by a ‘drink-driver’ after shocking footage shows a vehicle career into her parked car on her drive just four minutes after she was standing there.
Footage from a camera on her home shows Diane Hudgell, from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, in conversation with a neighbour at the front of her property while standing with her dog moments before the terrifying incident.
Just four minutes after the conversation, a car at frightening speeds crashes into the side of her Ford Fiesta, writing it off in the process.
Diane Hudgell stands with her dog near her parked Ford Fiesta on her driveway
But just four minutes after going inside her home, a car crashes into her parked vehicle
The grandmother-of-five was left shocked having narrowly avoided serious injury
The 62-year-old grandmother-of-five said: ‘I was stunned. You don’t expect it, do you. I was a bit shocked to say the least.
‘I heard the commotion going on. I had just gotten back from walking the dog and I was talking to a lady I used to work with at the bottom of my garden. I was by the house. I didn’t really see anything. I walked down the side of the house where I couldn’t really see anything but heard this commotion.
‘I said to the dog, “oh, what’s that awful noise?”. I was looking all around me. As I walked in, there was this almighty crash.
‘The dog shot up the garden with his tail between his legs, [as they do] when they’re scared. I ran through the house and by the time I got to the front door, it had happened.
‘The car had taken my car off the drive, pushed it into my neighbour’s front garden and hit his tree which is quite a chunky tree.
Diane’s white Ford Fiesta was written off as a result of the accident on March 23
The accident was so severe that a nearby manhole cover was also ripped off in the process
The car also ripped up two seven foot conifer trees as it skidded off the road and into the Ford Fiesta, missing Diane’s house and front room by just a matter of inches
‘We reported it to the police. There were police here, firefighters. Everybody arrived.
Along with her wrecked car, two 7ft conifer trees were also mown down on the other side after the driver ploughed through them while her neighbour’s manhole cover in his front garden was completely removed.
The out of control vehicle narrowly avoided Diane’s home and her front room by just a matter of inches.
Diane, who works as an adult learning assistant, admitted she felt sympathy for the driver who nearly caused her serious harm, believing he was under the influence.
‘I felt really sorry for him,’ she said. ‘I was nice to him, but I said, “what the hell are you doing?”. He was obviously in shock.
‘He was either on drugs, I thought, or drinking. The next day he came round and asked for my details. We’d done all of this the night before so obviously he was out of it.
‘The police said they took him away and he will be going to prison, but in all these challenging times they probably can’t do anything at the moment because the courts are closed.
‘The next day when he left my house, I watched him go to the shop and he left the shop with cans of beer. He really hadn’t learned his lesson.
Damage to Diane’s white Ford Fiesta included a damaged front wheel and smashed windows
The out of control car crashed into the side of Diane’s Ford Fiesta, pushing it into a tree
Diane has been left frustrated as the coronavirus chaos means she cannot buy a new car due to all the garages nearby her having closed
Police and fire crew attended the scene in Leighton Buzzard on March 23
Sadly for Diane, due to the lockdown imposed on the UK due to the coronavirus she admits she now cannot go out and get a new car due to all her garages being closed.
‘The only thing is his car is as bad as mine so he obviously won’t be driving, ‘ she added.
‘You can be in a quiet area feeling safe at home, and something like that happens. It shows how vulnerable you are.
‘My car is totally written off. As they moved it the front wheel fell off and everything. It’s very sad.
‘I had that car from new. I’d looked after it and there wasn’t a scratch on it. It’s got my grandchildren’s carseats in it and everything which we can’t use again.
‘If it’s a road accident, you think, ‘these things happen’, but not when it’s parked in your avenue. Nevermind. I do mind, but there’s not a lot I can do with it.
‘The sad thing is I can’t get out to find a new one as there are no garages open. I can’t get a new car.
A statement from Bedfordshire Police read: ‘We were called at approximately 5.55pm on Monday 23 March to reports of a collision in Coniston Road, Linslade.
‘A 64-year-old man from Leighton Buzzard was arrested in connection with the incident and has been charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit. He has been bailed pending a court appearance on 30 April.’
