Two cars smash into Clayhall width restriction in two hours

Amanda Nunn Wednesday, October 24, 2012
10:37 AM

A road was clogged into the early hours of the morning after two cars ploughed their way into the same width restriction within two hours.

The first time a woman crashed her black BMW into the bollard in Longwood Gardens, Clayhall at about 8pm. She was unharmed and the road was cleared by police by about 10pm.

Thirty minutes later a second car ploughed into the same restriction with the bollard ending up almost level with the steering wheel.

The 33-year-old driver was later found by a police sniffer dog following his blood trail in a nearby street.

He was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, failing to stop at a road traffic collision and dangerous driving.

According to firefighters who attended the scene, the collision resulted in the post ending up past the car’s crumple zone.

A firefighter at Ilford Fire Station said: “Someone did not judge the width restriction very well. The post was about four foot into the car. Those posts don’t budget, even for HGVs.”

Police were called to the second incident by London Ambulance Service at about 10.45pm.

Also in the car was a 38-year-old man who was cut out from the blue Golf and treated by London Air Ambulance crews.

He was later taken to the Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel with head and neck injuries.

Firefighters, from the station in High Road, Ilford, worked to cut the unconscious man from his car then put up white sheeting to stop residents watching as he was seen to by ambulance crews.

About 20 firefighters, two ambulances and police vehicles attended the incident which happened on Wednesday of last week at the junction with Abbotswood Gardens.

The road was not reopened until 3.30am on Thursday.

Firefighters from Hainault Fire Station, New North Road, Hainault and