Riverside seat saves driver from crash plunge

An elderly woman driver and her passenger nearly found themselves in the river when their car crashed through a roadside barrier only yards from the swollen Thames.

Only a strategically placed riverside seat stopped the car plunging into the water.

Veteran councillor Malcolm Beer, who represents Old Windsor for the Royal Borough, was walking along Straight Road in the village with his wife Anne soon after 1pm on Thursday when he witnessed the accident.

Cllr Beer, who lives in nearby Orchard Road, said: "I heard a thud and we saw a car at right angles to the road which had crashed through the barrier and come to rest in the back of a seat in front of the river.

"Thankfully it was a very robust seat but it had still been wrenched out of its concrete base. It was only recently put there and thank heavens it was or the car would definitely have finished up in the river, which was flowing pretty fast and swollen with the recent rain."

Customers rushed out of the Bells of Ouseley Harvester pub opposite to help.

Police and ambulance crew also attended.

The driver of the car and her passenger were both able to get out of the Fiat Panda, the front of which had been crushed.