A motorist and two homeowners in Johnshaven have had an incredible escape after a van crashed through a 400-year-old wall and plunged into a greenhouse.
Amazingly, driver Bob Gray walked away without a scratch after accidentally reversing and dropping into his neighbour’s garden.
Residents Eileen and Colin Townsend were initially unaware of the drama happening outside their back door – believing the reason for their dogs stirring was the postman arriving.
However, when Mr Townsend stepped outside to check the mail he was met by Mr Gray standing in his garden confessing “Something terrible has happened.”
‘Like something from Monty Python’
Only 30 minutes before the van crash, Mr Townsend had been in his Johnshaven greenhouse tending to his vast array of carefully nurtured plants.
The retired academic had stepped inside for lunch when Mr Gray was reversing his van in his own backyard, which is slightly above the Townsend’s property due to the slope the Aberdeenshire village is built on.
The driver believes he got his large boots caught on the accelerator and accidentally ended up driving through the ancient wall.
Retired author Mrs Townsend, describing the aftermath, said: “We were just finishing lunch when we heard the dogs bark and we thought it was the postman.
“Colin got up to investigate and it was Bob Gray in our garden. He was terribly shaken and couldn’t stop apologising.
“We couldn’t believe it, there was a big car there hanging in mid-air balancing on what was left of a 400-year-old wall.
“What gave my husband a shock is we have the most adorable Jack Russell puppy called Charlie, and when Bob said ‘something terrible has happened’ he thought he had run over little Charlie – and then he saw the car and he couldn’t believe it.
“It’s like something out of Monty Python. The awful thing is it’s still hanging there.
“The most important thing though is that Bob’s OK, it’s lucky nobody was hurt.”
Despite demolishing the greenhouse, no damage was caused to the home.
‘They have been very understanding’
Mr Gray had only just received his van back from the garage after spending £500 on a new exhaust.
Despite the ordeal, he believes the vehicle may be recoverable, depending on how crumpled the front is, once lifted from its current precarious position.
The driver described himself as “shaken” several hours after the Johnshaven incident – while repeating apologies to the Townsends.
He said: “My foot got caught in the accelerator reversing. My shoes were obviously too wide and when I’ve gone for the brake I must have put my foot on the accelerator and gone right through the wall.
“I get on well with Colin and Eileen, they are very good, they have been very understanding. It’s been a big shock to everyone.”
Fire crews were initially called to the scene at about 2.30pm on Thursday amid reports of a “collapsed structure” in Johnshaven – before being met with the crashed van.
Emergency crews secured the vehicle before leaving the scene an hour later.
Gavin Strachan, watch commander at Stonehaven fire station, said: “We were called down to make sure the vehicle was secure. We attached a couple of winches from an anchor from the top to make sure it’s safe until it’s able to be recovered.”