'I kept catching glimpses of the sky': Ludlow racer unscathed after Soap Box Derby crash - in pictures
A soap box first-timer escaped without injury after her car barrel rolled down the track and came to a halt on its roof.
The annual Richards Castle’s Soap Box Derby returned for a 15th year on Sunday and saw the brave owners put on a spectacular show for the crowds.
Most completed the course safely, but there were gasps from the sidelines when Isla Rowntree crashed on a technical part of the course.
The 49-year-old from Ludlow said: "I did the practice run and the first run successfully. When it came to the second run, everything was going fine until, what I think what happened, was I just clipped the grass on the inside edge.
"The next thing I know it's pirouetting on its nose and I'm barrel rolling down the track. I kept catching glimpses of the sky.
"I finally came to a halt and waited for it to hurt, but unbelievably, it didn't. I was expecting my head to hurt, so I have been very, very, lucky."
It was not the first time the car Isla was driving has been crashed in the race.
"It's quite old and has been raced before by someone else," she said.
"It's actually won several times but was crashed by it's previous owner two years ago. They decided to retire and I agreed to buy it.
"I only got it on Thursday night, so gave it a new paint job so it was brighter."
Isla wasn't the only person to crash on Sunday, but everyone walked away without injury.
She added: "I think I'll need a day or two to decide whether I will do it again. Maybe it was a bit ambitious of me to take part in the proper race. Maybe next year I'll take part in the novelty race instead.
"But it's a wonderful event and it supports small local charities. It's a really fun day out."
