TWO men are lucky to be alive following a 'high speed' collision between a car and a lorry on the A48 near Woolaston yesterday.
John Townsend, who heard the collision from the nearby garage said: “It was an almighty bang.
“It was a hell of a crash. It was lucky they walked away from it. “The engine from the car flew into the field. I think it cleared the hedge.
“The lorry driver swerved, they were broadside and missed the head on collision which would have been certain death at that speed.
“They were very lucky boys.
“The paramedics came and they got both of them out and treated them by the side of the road. “There was another car involved as well which was in front of it and I’m just guessing they were racing.
“A guy that was behind them witnessed them overtaking said that he was doing between 80mph and 100mph.
“The other car pulled in at the garage and the passengers walked up to see if the people in the crashed car were alright. They then came running down here, jumped in their car and left.
“They weren’t involved in the accident but I think they were racing. There’s a reason why they just left.”
One of the men sustained a facial injury and the other a back injury, neither were serious.
The driver of the lorry was uninjured.
Mr Townsend added: “The lorry driver deserves a medal. He has put his truck up and out of the road to save those people’s lives.
“He’s avoided certain death."
A police spokesperson said: "Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a black vehicle, thought to be a Peugeot 206, also involved in the collision, which is believed to have driven off in the direction of St Briavels."
Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances.
The road was closed and a lane reopened at 4.50pm that day.
Police are asking for any witnesses to call 101 quoting incident 191 of March 8.