Trail of destruction

7:10am Friday 4th July 2008

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MOTORISTS were plunged into chaos following a serious road accident and a fire at a pub within metres of each other in Malvern.

As reported on worcesternews.co.uk yesterday, a car mounted the pavement, knocked over a pedestrian and smashed into a hotel wall during a five-vehicle pile-up and a fire broke out at the Red Lion.

A tourist who was in Malvern for the day rushed to help the injured pedestrian as he lay on the pavement and tried to stop the bleeding.

The pedestrian, described as being in his late 30s to 40s, was attended to by paramedics before being taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital with serious head and abdominal injuries.

The incident happened in Worcester Road at 3pm when five vehicles, including a bus, were involved in a smash outside the Foley Arms hotel.

Meanwhile, fire engines rushed to the Red Lion in St Ann’s Road, which runs parallel to Worcester Road, at about 6pm to add to the traffic chaos.

Two fire engines from Malvern rushed to the scene – some 100 yards from the accident in Worcester Road – and crews swiftly moved into the town centre pub where the fire is thought to have started in a deep fat fryer. The fire was quickly brought under control by fire crews.

When the fire started, Worcester Road was still closed from the accident but by about 6.30pm police appeared to have finished at the scene although the road had yet to be reopened.

Mike Austin was in his coffee shop, the Riding High Gallery, when a man walked in covered in blood following the five-vehicle pile-up.

It turned out this man was Jason Evans, the tourist who had helped the pedestrian.

“He was first on the scene and administered first aid,” Mr Austin said.

“He said everyone else was hysterical but he was trained in first aid so tried to stop the bleeding.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service sent two ambulances, an emergency care practitioner and senior officer to the scene. Paramedics also treated the driver of the car, but he did not need to be taken to hospital.

The manager of the Foley Arms hotel, Michael Cavilla, said he saw a car reversing and then going on to the pavement.

He said: “I did not see the whole thing. But a car hit a bus as it was trying to pull out. He lost control of the car. He must have hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

“It was like watching a film, it all went so quickly.”

The car smashed into the hotel wall, but Mr Cavilla was unsure of what damage had been caused. The vehicles involved were a grey Rover 820, Toyota Celica, a black Ford Fiesta, a silver Seat and a First Midland bus.

Traffic chaos followed the accident as police closed the Worcester Road in both directions and cars were diverted through the town centre.

Crash scene investigators were on the scene within an hour of the accident and police arrested a man in connection with the incident.