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A grandfather is scared to let his grandchildren play on his lawn after a string of cars have crashed in his garden.
Scott Thomas, 54, says he’s fed-up at replacing his fence and replanting trees after they have been destroyed on three occasions.
The grandfather-of-seven is now demanding the council cut the speed limit outside his home in Dobshill, North Wales, to stop more drivers demolishing his garden.
The fork-lift truck driver says the crashes have caused more than £10,000 worth of damage to his property and says it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed.
Scott Thomas, 54, says he’s fed-up at replacing his fence and replanting trees after they have been destroyed on three occasions
Mr Thomas is now demanding the speed limit is halved from 40mph to 20mph on the A549 road, called Dirty Mile, which runs by his home.
The dad-of-three said: ‘It’s only by the sheer grace of God that these awful accidents have always seemed to happen either late at night or early hours in the morning when no-one is in the garden.
‘It worries me that if it happens during daytime hours that one of my grandchildren, myself or my disabled partner would potentially be harmed.
‘I’ve been here for 35 years and I campaigned for the speed to be reduced down to 30 from 60 after a lady got knocked down by a car.
‘A committee said there’s no need to reduce the speed.’
The fork-lift truck driver says the crashes have caused more than £10,000 worth of damage to his property and says it’s only a matter of time before someone is killed
He is demanding the speed limit is halved from 40mph to 20mph on the A549 road, called Dirty Mile, which runs by his home
‘It worries me that if it happens during daytime hours that one of my grandchildren, myself or my disabled partner would potentially be harmed,’ he said
Mr Thomas’ car crash hell started when a silver Mercedes careered through his hedge and ended up on his lawn in February 2019
Mr Thomas’ car crash hell started when a silver Mercedes careered through his hedge and ended up on his lawn in February 2019.
In February this year another car span off the road and smashed through his fence.
The latest crash happened on May 6 this year when a grey BMW ploughed through his garden fence and came to a rest just yards from his front door.
Mr Thomas says the damage to his property had exceeded £10,000 which he has been able to claim of the drivers’ insurance.
He says he is now too worried to let his grandchildren play in his garden in case another car loses control and ploughs into them.
He added: ‘As soon as cars come off the roundabout, they put their foot down and the back end comes out.
‘It’s always the rear-wheel drive cars that crash.
Mr Thomas said: ‘As soon as cars come off the roundabout, they put their foot down and the back end comes out. It’s always the rear-wheel drive cars that crash.’ Pictured, a white BMW ripped up part of the hedge as it crashed
Mr Thomas said that further up the road, the speed limit has been reduced to 20mph, the speed he is calling for outside of his home. Pictured, a white BMW slid across the gravel and into his front lawn
The white BMW span into Mr Thomas’ lawn, where is seven grandchildren often play
‘We can’t see the cars coming. And when the kids are playing, that’s what gets me worried,’ he said. Pictured, the car is moved with help from a 24-hur recovery team
‘They say the speed is good for that area. Up the road, they’ve reduced the speed to 20. This road is still 40.
‘It’s getting me thinking, we all hear people come up that fast when I’m in the garden. Now we’re just cautious of it.
‘We can’t see the cars coming. And when the kids are playing, that’s what gets me worried. We’re going to try and strengthen the next fence to stop it.
‘The neighbours have only been here five years, and within the first few years they had a car in their garden.
‘I spend a lot of time in my garden, I always have a two-metre hedge, nice grass and nice plants.
Mr Thomas said that he has had to replace trees, plants, bushes, fencing and repair his lawn after three cars crashed into his front garden. Pictured, a grey BMW ploughed through his garden fence on May 6
The damaged grey BMW after it crashed into Mr Thomas’ front garden on the A549, Dobshill, North Wales
Mr Thomas said that he will try to strengthen his next fence to stop cars breaking through
Mr Thomas believes the cars are crashing after their drivers accelerate after leaving the roundabout close to his house
‘The cars have now uprooted our hedge. When you spend ten years growing it for it to be smashed into, it is a shame.
‘I’ve also had to replace trees, plants, bushes, returning my lawn, replacing fencing and just trying to maintain my garden to the standard I want it to be for mine and my family’s enjoyment.
‘My partner has Parkinson’s and she likes to sit in the garden a lot, but it does add risk.
‘I’m trying to get some funding for speed camera’s, hopefully that helps the local council so they don’t have an excuse not to fit them.’
Despite Mr Thomas’ concerns, council chiefs have refused to cut the speed limit and insist 40mph is safe for the road.
A spokesperson for Flintshire County Council said: ‘The existing 40mph speed limit is correct for the classification of road.
‘Motorists have a responsibility to drive in accordance with road conditions and within the specified legal speed limit.
‘It must therefore be noted that instances of excessive speeds at this location are as a result of drivers failing to adhere to the specified 40mph speed limit.’
