A family whose bungalow was badly damaged when a car crashed into it following a police pursuit in Warrington have been left facing an uncertain wait while repairs are carried out.
The family had only moved into the property five weeks earlier when the vehicle struck the bungalow in the early hours of Tuesday (October 13).
A photograph shared by a family member shows the extent of the damage inside the property, with bricks and debris scattered across the bedroom where the car smashed into the building.
The family member said: “This is some of the damage to my dad’s bungalow where the car has hit their bedroom. All that debris and bricks fell on my mum – she’s lucky.”
The bungalow’s occupants suffered minor injuries and were moved into alternative accommodation while structural engineers assessed the property.
A family member said they had been placed in a hotel for a month while work is undertaken to put things right, but had not been given a definitive timescale for when they would be able to return home.
The incident has left the family dealing with the upheaval of losing the use of their newly occupied home, with the full extent of the repairs and how long they will take still to be established.
Police were initially called at around 10.45pm on Monday, October 12, following reports of a man driving a Nissan Qashqai on Bagot Avenue who was possibly armed with a knife.
At around 2am on Tuesday, officers spotted a vehicle matching the description in the Norris Street area.
Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver made off at speed, prompting officers to authorise a pursuit.
The vehicle travelled through the local area before coming to a stop on Bagot Avenue after colliding with the bungalow.
Two fire engines from Warrington and Penketh attended shortly after 2am. Firefighters isolated the utilities to the property and checked the building using thermal imaging equipment and a gas monitor.
Seven casualties were assessed at the scene, with three taken to hospital. Four passengers travelling in the vehicle were also treated by paramedics, with their injuries not believed to be serious.
A 37-year-old man from Orford was assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital as a precaution before being discharged.
He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, failing to stop following a collision and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
