Ref. 30830-30PEOPLE living in Pinehurst Road, the scene of a fatal car accident this week are calling for speed calming measures.

In a further incident on Tuesday night, a speeding driver smashed into two cars and a van before abandoning his own smoking wreck of a car.

He fled, leaving a trail of blood, a huge pall of smoke over the road and his BMW embedded in the van, which had demolished a wall and was sitting in a front garden.

"By all accounts it was like Armageddon," said Acting Sergeant John Webb, of Swindon traffic police.

The late-night crash happened at the bottom of Pinehurst Road, which only four days ago was the scene of the smash in which 19-year-old Matthew Styles died. The Pinehurst area itself has seen 71 casualty accidents, 23 of them speed-related and 19 involving children.

One driver, whose Peugeot 205 was hit head on as the BMW overtook another car, was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Two female passengers in the BMW suffered whiplash injuries and cuts, while a male passenger had a broken arm.

Acting Sgt Webb said officers were amazed no-one had been more seriously injured or killed.

"I heard a huge bang, looked out of the window and saw a van in the garden," said Lilias Whyte whose wall was knocked down. "It was inches away from the window and had knocked the top off the gas meter box."

A 19-year-old man was arrested six hours later at 5.10am on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink or drugs and failing to stop after the accident. He was bailed without charge pending further inquiries and is due to return to Westlea police station on July 9.

Police told how the crew of a police traffic car on patrol spotted a red BMW driving along Poplar Avenue at high speed before turning into Pinehurst Road and speeding away with its headlights switched off.

It overtook a car going in the same direction and smashed into the Peugeot that then hit a tree. Then, 200 metres along the road it collided with a parked Ford Mondeo, carried on down the road and finally hit a parked van that was being unloaded. The impact shunted the van through the garden wall and a hedge.

Marjorie Walford, 79, whose wall was demolished, was in bed watching television. "I heard this colossal bang and I thought a plane was coming down."

Her neighbour, Miss Whyte, said: "Late at night it is very noisy. At 3 or 4am cars are often racing up and down at great speed."

Swindon Council's group officer for traffic management and road safety Adrian Dean was aware of the problems experienced by people living in the area. He said residents were soon to be leafleted with proposals for cutting speed and an exhibition was due to be held at the end of July.

Depending on the response from people in the area it will go before the council cabinet after a final consultation in October.

If the cabinet gave its approval work could start on the scheme next year.

Tina Clarke