A WOMAN was arrested by police after the car she was driving went through the front garden of a house on the Whitton estate and smashed into the front wall.

Thankfully no-one was in the garden at the time – but it was laid out so young children could play there and the homeowners were left counting the cost of what could have happened.

The drama unfolded in Macaulay Road yesterday afternoon.

No one was hurt, but the driver was arrested on suspicion of drink driving following the crash.

The car came through the short service road that leads to a small car park used by residents of the small group of houses next to the Premier convenience store.

Homeowners Will and Lorraine Fairclough were out at the time – they were at a motor-racing event at Snetterton, in Norfolk.

Mr Fairclough said: “I had a call from a neighbour to tell me what had happened. We came home and saw what had happened. I am furious.

“It has destroyed the bench in front of the house, and on fine days like this I often sit out there. Luckily we’d decided to go out for the day.”

He said the damage to the house had not affected its structure, but he was angry that he had to sort it out. “I’ve been told the car is insured, but I’m very upset about this,” he said. Mrs Fairclough said the fence had been put up around the front garden to make it safe for when their grandchildren visited.

“They often come over and play in the garden. If they had been here today, they would not have stood a chance,” she said.

“I’m just relieved that we had decided to have a day out by ourselves so there was no-one around when this all happened.”

Police were at the scene taking statements from residents and arranging for the car to be removed by a recovery crew.

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