Family ‘lucky to be alive’ after vehicle takes off and ploughs into beer garden at village pub near Harborough
The family who run a pub near Market Harborough said they are lucky to be alive after a vehicle ploughed into their beer garden, just as they were walking nearby.
They looked in horror as the speeding Range Rover took off and crashed through a wall at The Bell Inn, Husbands Bosworth yesterday (October 16).
The beer garden is now closed for the time being and a parked car belonging to the landlords' daughter, Megan, was written off - but landlords John and Sarah Dillon know it could have been a lot worse.
The family said: "Sarah and Megan were seconds from walking exactly where he ploughed into the wall and only for stopping to laugh at John's (now very precious and never to be taken for granted again!) dad jokes, yesterday could have been a completely different and genuinely tragic outcome.
"We are beyond grateful that we were shut and none of our customers were sat in the beer garden, that our dog Maggie wasn't out there for a play or toilet with John or Sarah and that no other car or pedestrian was caught up in it either.
"We are also extremely grateful to everyone who helped and has offered help/support and sent us their well wishes.
"As you can imagine we are all very shaken up and angry, but very grateful to have woken up with our loved ones this morning."
Witnesses said that the driver was driving far too fast and misjudged the turning at the top of Bell Lane - and then found himself upside down in the beer garden after taking off the ground by about three to four feet.
"This proves more than ever how desperately the council need to install some speed reducing measures at the top of Bell Lane," said the family.
"Some people drive so fast past the pub and also the wrong way. It was only a matter of time before an accident happened, although we could never have expected this."
While the brewery repair the damage, the pub has asked that no one goes into the garden or parks near the wall.