Two hurt in 'freak crash'
An elderly woman was in a critical condition in hospital today after she and a man were injured when a car crashed into a Shropshire town hall. An elderly woman was in a critical condition in hospital today after she and a man were injured when a car crashed into a Shropshire town hall. The woman, who has not been named, was trapped underneath the vehicle and had to be resuscitated while the man was thrown from a wheelchair following the incident at Market Drayton Town Hall at about 1.45pm yesterday. Extensive damage was caused to the building after the blue Vauxhall Astra came out of the Frogmore Road car park, mounted the pavement and crashed into it in what witnesses said was a freak accident. Police today said the woman suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where her condition today remained critical in the intensive care unit. The man suffered head and shoulder injuries and was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford Read the full story in today's Shropshire Star
The woman, who has not been named, was trapped underneath the vehicle and had to be resuscitated while the man was thrown from a wheelchair following the incident at Market Drayton Town Hall at about 1.45pm yesterday.
Extensive damage was caused to the building after the blue Vauxhall Astra came out of the Frogmore Road car park, mounted the pavement and crashed into it in what witnesses said was a freak accident.
Police today said the woman suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where her condition today remained critical in the intensive care unit.
The man suffered head and shoulder injuries and was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital, Telford, by ambulance, where he was today in a stable condition. The occupants of the car were not injured.
Sergeant Mark Reilly, of Market Drayton Police Station, said the collision happened outside Argos and Wilkinson in an area busy with both other pedestrians and vehicles.
"I would ask anybody who saw what happened, or the vehicle or pedestrians involved immediately beforehand, who has not yet been spoken to by police to please contact us on 0300 333 3000 as a matter of urgency," he said.
"A structural engineer was contacted to assess the Town Hall building and the surrounding roads and car park were closed until shortly after 5pm while the emergency services and police collision investigators worked at the scene."
County and town councillor Roger Hughes had been on his way out of the building when the car hit it and said it had sounded like a bomb going off.
He said he heard an "almighty bang" and saw the car come through the wall.
"We were stood in the reception area chatting and opening the door and there was an almighty bang, I thought it was a bomb, and a car came through the wall," he said.
"It came in about two feet."
By Tom Johannsen and Deborah Collins
