ANGINA sufferer Jean Edwards was relaxing in front of her favourite soap when horrifying scenes began to unfold on her TV screen.But the terrified viewer was watching something far more awful than EastEnder Phil Mitchell's latest scheme to outwit the luckless Ian Beale.

By James Mortlock

ANGINA sufferer Jean Edwards was relaxing in front of her favourite soap when horrifying scenes began to unfold on her TV screen.

But the terrified viewer was watching something far more awful than EastEnder Phil Mitchell's latest scheme to outwit the luckless Ian Beale.

Reflected in the glass of her television she could clearly see an out-of-control car hurtling towards her front window.

Terrified Mrs Edwards likened her nightmare to the devastation caused by Second World War bouncing bombs. She said: “I was watching EastEnders and saw this car coming towards my garden wall.

“I could see it coming closer and closer down the hill and then things began to get dark and all I could see in my TV screen was the car. It hit the posts of my garden gate and they went flying in opposite directions and the car was pitched up into the air.

“It gracefully flew through the air and landed in the front wall of the house. I couldn't believe what had happened. I had a lovely garden, a lovely gate and wishing well and a lovely house and now look at it - it's all ruined. It was like a bouncing bomb coming down the road, through my gate and into the house.”

She now fears the Corsa car has left her home uninhabitable: “I'm waiting for the surveyors at the moment but the cracks in the wall have gone right the way through and I was told not to stay at home last night after what happened because my bedroom is right above and they weren't sure of the extent of the damage.”

Mrs Edwards, of Downs Crescent, Haverhill, who is staying with her son nearby, estimates the damage to her home - the front door and main sitting room window will have to be replaced - and garden will cost thousands of pounds to repair.

But she said she was relieved to have escaped injury herself and glad the driver and the passenger of the car, who have not been named by police, were not badly hurt even though they had to be taken to West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, after the crash.

Mrs Edwards said: “The car or the concrete from the gate posts could easily have come through the window and hit me. It was the most horrific thing that has ever happened to me. To know you are in the line of fire of a flying car and flying concrete is awful - I'm just glad I'm still here.”

Police are now investigating the accident, which happened just before 8pm on Tuesday, and are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 01284 774100.

Fireman Beresford Matthews, who serves with retained firefighters in Haverhill and was called to the accident, said the hallway of Mrs Edwards' home - which she had just finished redecorating - was badly damaged by the impact of the accident.

He said: “Breeze blocks near the front door were knocked away in the incident, and the door itself was dislodged. Now it is jammed and broken. The driver and her passenger were both quite shaken, and the homeowner was obviously shocked to see a car launching itself into her garden.”

“When we arrived, both people were still in the car, so we administered first aid and kept them calm until the ambulance arrived.”

Mrs Edwards said she was still shaking: “The whole thing was just unbelievable and I'm still totally petrified - I was laying down because I have angina and high blood pressure and then this happened.”