Telford car smash cuts off phone lines

A car hit a lamppost before ploughing through a wall in a Shropshire street, also hitting a telephone exchange and cutting off residents' phone lines.

Thousands of pounds of damage was caused after the blue Peugeot 206 smashed into the lamppost in Baldwin Webb Avenue, Donnington, Telford. It then travelled for about 50 yards on the pavement with part of the post embedded in its bonnet before hitting the phone junction box.

The car also ripped up a hedge and destroyed two pillars and a wheelie bin.

The vehicle came to rest outside the home of Tony Smith just before 11.30pm last night.

The 57-year-old said that the crash sounded like a plane was landing on his driveway.

He said: "I was in my garage when I heard an almighty crash, I think this was when the car hit the lamppost.

"Then I heard really loud scratching sounds as the car dragged the post up the road."

Telford police said a man in his early 30s had been arrested for failing to provide a specimen at the scene.