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Wednesday, 5 February, 2003, 17:48 GMT
Man hurt as car hits house
Fire engine
Firefighters used cutting equipment to free the man
An elderly driver had to be rescued by firefighters when his car ploughed into a house.

The man, who is believed to be in his 80s, was trapped in his vehicle after it hit the bay window of a house in Melksham, Wiltshire.

Fire crews from Melksham and Chippenham were called to the scene in Southbrook Road just before 1400 GMT on Wednesday.

They made the house safe using specialist supports before getting the driver out of the car using hydraulic cutting equipment.

The scene of the accident in Melksham
Firefighters propped the wall up using supports

The man was taken to hospital with suspected spinal injuries.

Kerry-Ann Benson was sitting on the sofa in her living room when the car crashed through the window.

She said: "I was on the other side of the room and I saw the back of the car almost take off as it came down the driveway.

"It came through into the lounge, the other sofa shot across the room and the radiator cam off the wall."

Ms Benson and her mother, who was asleep upstairs at the time of the accident, were unhurt in the incident.

A structural engineer from West Wiltshire council has been called in to assess the damage to the house.


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22 Jan 03 | England
18 Mar 02 | N Ireland
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