UPDATED WITH VIDEO: Car ploughs into carport in Highcliffe (From Thisisdorset)
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UPDATED WITH VIDEO: Car ploughs into carport in Highcliffe
1:50pm Thursday 14th March 2013 in Latest By Katie Clark
Car ploughs into carport in Highcliffe
A CAR has ploughed into a carport next to The Co-operative store on Lymington Road in Highcliffe.
The incident took place in Wortley Road car park at the rear of the store with a reader reporting seeing fire engines and police cars racing along the high street just before 12pm.
The 83-year-old male driver of the red Vauxhall Astra escaped from the incident uninjured.
PC Matt Loader from Christchurch Police said: "This was a single vehicle collision where the male driver was the only occupant of the vehicle.
"It is an automatic car and somehow the driver lost control and collided with the garage.
"He is absolutely fine and was checked by ambulance and taken home."
Dorset Fire and Rescue service was also called to the scene.
"The fire service were an enormous help", PC Loader added.
A building inspector from Christchurch Borough Council was called and said it was safe to remove the car from the garage.
David Birtchnell, owner of Birtchnell's of Highcliffe, the store the car collided with, said there was no-one in the store at the time.
"The building is empty.
"This is the second time this has happened to me but it's all fully insured so there isn't a problem.
"The main thing is the driver is okay."
Robbie Barba, owner of nearby restaurant Prego, said: "I didn't see it but I heard the loud bang.
"I looked out the window and saw people rushing towards it.
"My chef called me to see what had happened."
Comments(16)
mgibbs
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1:21pm Thu 14 Mar 13
speedy231278
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2:07pm Thu 14 Mar 13
hucky999
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2:23pm Thu 14 Mar 13
5bob
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2:39pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Mike_French
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3:02pm Thu 14 Mar 13
P Barker wrote:In Highcliffe? - happens too often .......
Can I guess "Eldery driver loses control of automatic car " ??
kazzy70
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4:10pm Thu 14 Mar 13
asj
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4:41pm Thu 14 Mar 13
b26b
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5:02pm Thu 14 Mar 13
LJT1966
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6:36pm Thu 14 Mar 13
kazzy70 wrote:no wonder my car insurance premiums have sky rocketed!!!
Nothing new in Highcliffe older people and automatic cars, thank god no older person was walking past well shuffling past and the driver is okay but I'm guessing he wont be behind a wheel again
Mocov1
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6:55pm Thu 14 Mar 13
arnieh
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8:58pm Thu 14 Mar 13
master plan
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10:30pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Bournemouth2014
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11:04pm Thu 14 Mar 13
kazzy70
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11:30pm Thu 14 Mar 13
LJT1966 wrote:I wont drive thro Highcliffe in the daytime as you never know if your come out with a car or a right off and thats nothing to do with my driving, Im middle aged with a manual car
kazzy70 wrote:no wonder my car insurance premiums have sky rocketed!!!
Nothing new in Highcliffe older people and automatic cars, thank god no older person was walking past well shuffling past and the driver is okay but I'm guessing he wont be behind a wheel again
Victor_Meldrew_Lives!
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10:21pm Sun 17 Mar 13
b26b wrote:Not really. If you are stuck behind them doing 20 mpg it is no joke. The Sainsburys at Somerford is a sight to behold to. Engines being revved up close to being blown up. I had one, one day, the old boy never saw me walking across the pedestrian crossing at all. Luckily I anticipated this and held back just in time.
Highcliffe is hilarious to watch the antics of the elderly
I hate to think what could have happened to a small child.
P Barker says...
1:05pm Thu 14 Mar 13