Driver impaled in road crash

11:30am Thursday 15th February 2007

A MOTORIST was impaled by a metal railing following an accident near Leominster.

The 33-year-old man suffered life threatening injuries after his car left the road and collided with a fence on the B4361 at Broadward Lodge, just past the cemetery, at around 11.10pm last Thursday.

"The driver left the road in icy conditions and overturned on the side of the road," said fire brigade spokesman Alec Mackie. "When the car overturned on the side of the road a metal fence post pierced through the car door and into the driver, in the region of the kidneys.

"The car then rolled back over on to four wheels and the metal came out of his body."

Firefighters stabilised the man's red BMW 518, which had been heading towards the junction with the A49, and removed the roof using cutting equipment, before he was taken to Hereford County Hospital.

The man was trapped in the car for around 30 minutes.

The road was closed for around six hours while crash investigators began an examination and removed wreckage.

The male driver was the only occupant of the car and no-one else was injured. He remains in a critical but stable condition.

Dr Malcom Russell, of Mercia Accident Rescue Service (MARS), who attended the incident along with the ambulance service, said: "It was quite a challenging rescue on a cold and snowy night and was another excellent team response. I have to take my hat off to the fire and ambulance services."

Anyone with information about the accident can call PC Kevin Carter on 08457 444888.

Anyone wishing to find out more information about MARS and its work in saving the lives of people in accidents can visit www.marsbasics.org.uk