Concerned homeowner, 54, too scared to let grandchildren play in garden after three cars smash through fence into it

Ellen Manning
·4-min read
A fuming grandfather is too scared to sit in his garden after a string of cars crashed into his property. See SWNS story SWMDcrashes. Scott Thomas, 54, says he is fed-up of replacing his fence and replanting trees after they have been destroyed on three occasions since 2019. The grandfather-of-seven is now demanding the council reduce 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. Scott 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:
Scott Thomas has had three incidents where cars have careered off the road into his garden - one coming to rest right by his house. (SWNS)

A grandfather has been left too scared to let his grandchildren play in his garden after a string of cars have smashed through his fence and ploughed into it.

Scott Thomas, 54, is calling for his local council to cut the speed limit outside his home to prevent any more incidents, saying it is only a matter of time before someone is killed.

The grandfather-of-three said he is fed up of replacing his fence and replanting trees at his home in Dobshill, North Wales, after they have been destroyed on three occasions, causing what he says is more than £10,000 of damage.

Scott Thomas is campaigning for the speed limit on the road by his house to be halved after three cars ended up in his garden. (SWNS)
Scott Thomas is campaigning for the speed limit on the road by his house to be halved after three cars ended up in his garden. (SWNS)
The grandfather of seven says he has had to replace his fence, hedge, plants and more. (SWNS)
The grandfather of seven says he has had to replace his fence, hedge, plants and more. (SWNS)

The first incident happened in February 2019 when a silver Mercedes careered through his hedge and ended up on his lawn.

Then in February this year an Audi span off the road - which is dubbed 'Dirty Mile' - and smashed through his fence.

The latest incident happened on 6 May when a grey BMW ploughed through his garden fence and came to a rest just yards from his front door.

The fork-lift truck driver says the crashes have caused more than £10,000 of damage to his property. (SWNS)
The fork-lift truck driver says the crashes have caused more than £10,000 of damage to his property. (SWNS)

The dad-of-three, who is calling for the speed limit to be halved from 40mph to 20mph, 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.

Read more: Birmingham teacher charged with sexually assaulting teenage schoolgirls

"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 54-year-old is worried that his grandchildren will be injured if they play in his garden. (SWNS)
The 54-year-old is worried that his grandchildren will be injured if they play in his garden. (SWNS)

He said he is too worried to let his grandchildren play in his garden in case a similar incident happens and they get hit.

He added: "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."

The council has said it is not necessary to cut the speed limit. (SWNS)
The council has said it is not necessary to cut the speed limit. (SWNS)
In the latest crash, a grey BMW ploughed through the garden fence and came to a rest just yards from Scott Thomas' front door. (SWNS)
In the latest crash, a grey BMW ploughed through the garden fence and came to a rest just yards from Scott Thomas' front door. (SWNS)

He said he has so far had to replace trees, plants, bushes, and fencing as well as trying to salvage his lawn after the crashes.

"My partner has Parkinson's and she likes to sit in the garden a lot, but it does add risk," he added, saying he is trying to get funding for speed cameras which may help slow drivers down.

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."