A DRIVER left the scene after smashing his BMW into the front of a house in Worcester, leaving both the vehicle and the building a wreck and his injured passenger trapped in the car.

Emergency services were called to the scene after people living near the house opposite The Portobello Inn in Bransford Road, St John’s, reported hearing a loud smash at about 11.20pm yesterday evening.

The front of the silver BMW had smashed straight through the front of the house and the driver had left the scene, leaving his passenger trapped in the car.

The passenger, a man believed to be in his 20s, suffered multiple injuries and had to be cut free from the car. He was treated at the scene before being taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The woman who was in the house at the time of the crash was shook up by the incident and was checked over by ambulance crews but did not require further treatment.”

A 24-year-old man – named as Christopher Dickinson of nearby Hales Orchard – was later charged with failing to report and accident and driving while over the legal alcohol limit and has been bailed to appear at Worcester Magistrates Court on Friday, August 14.

The front of the house was severely damaged, with part of the front wall and window completely knocked down, and a structural engineer was called to the scene on Sunday evening following concerns the damage to the building had made it unsafe. The fire crew used wood to shore the building to ensure it would not collapse.

The gas main at the front of the house was also smashed in the crash. The gas board was called to the scene an isolated the supply to remove the risk of leak or explosion.

The road was closed at the junction with the A4440 for some time following the crash.

Writing on the Worcester News Facebook page, people living in the area said they had long been concerned about the speed of traffic in Branford Road.

Lauren Nawrat-Smith said: “I live a few doors down and I'm fed up of people speeding down this road! I wish something would be done, my cars been written off a house has been smashed into many people injured all in the last 3 years!!!!”

Neighbour Becky Brixley said: “I live on Bransford Road and the speed people drive is scary! Walking down the street with the children I'm constantly on edge a car will lose control and crash into us, they need some sort of speed control on this road!”

Anyone with any information in relation to the crash can call police on 101 quoting incident 0718-s-260715.

Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via crimestoppers-uk.org.