Young family 'lucky to be alive' after car smashes into their home in Crewe

A DAD has described the terrifying moment a car smashed into the front of his house as his newborn baby daughter slept upstairs.

Richard Palin was tending to eight-week-old Alivia when an out-of-control black Fiat Coupe crashed into the family's Victorian terrace house.

Hearing a loud bang, the shocked 33-year-old ran downstairs to find a pile of bricks, rubble and a cloud of dust.

The car had ploughed into the porch area of the property causing thousands of pounds of damage.

Richard, his 20-year-old partner Jessica Sloan and their daughter all escaped uninjured.

But emergency services said it could have been a different story if anyone had been on the ground floor at the time of the smash.

The driver fled the scene, but police have since arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of failing to stop after a collision.

Richard said: "There was a massive bang.

"If I had been stood at the bottom of the stairs that would've been it. I'd have been killed.

"I just feel lucky my daughter is safe. Unbelieveably she didn't wake up through the whole thing.

"The whole front end of the car was smashed in. It must have hit the house at at least 45mph.

"I was on the phone to the police and then the driver was gone.

"You'd think they'd have had the dignity to come out and ask if we were all right."

The drama unfolded in Wistaston Road, Crewe, just before 9am yesterday.

Crewe firefighter Andrew Anderson, who was one of the first people to arrive at the house, said: "The car smashed through the front door of the house, taking out a couple of pillars.

"No injuries were caused but if anybody had been stood behind the door they would have been in trouble.

"I would imagine the driver has lost control at the nearby crossroads which is about 25 metres away and then not been able to stop.

"We came along and cleared up the debris, and then the case was handed over to the police."

Richard's mother Anne Palin said: "I ran to the house as soon as I heard what had happened. I'm just very grateful my granddaughter and my son and his partner are alive."

Police are still investigating the exact circumstances of the crash, which happened at 8.57am yesterday.

It forced the closure of Wistaston Road for around 90 minutes.

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "Police were called to Wistaston Road in Crewe following reports of a car colliding with a house.

"The driver, who was the sole occupant of the black Fiat Coupe, fled the scene. Police made a search of the area to locate him.

"A door to the front of the house was damaged, while firefighters attended to make the scene safe.

"A 24-year-old man from Crewe was arrested a short time later on suspicion of failing to stop after a collision and remains in custody."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the crash. They should call Cheshire Police on 101.