A pregnant learner driver had to abandon her lesson and run for cover yesterday when rogue waves crashed over the walls of Peterhead Harbour and smashed the windscreen.
Shannon McGuire – a learner driver – was at the wheel beside boyfriend Lee Ellis in his Renault Clio when water came thundering over the breakwater of the port.
The pair were showered with glass and then, within seconds of getting out to inspect their injuries and the damage to the car, another wave hit the vehicle.
Before a third could do more harm, they fled and called the police from a safe distance..
The windscreen was left completely smashed in and both the bonnet and roof were badly dented.
Last night, Miss McGuire said the experience left her scared about what could have happened.
“We were just driving about the harbour and a wave hit the car,” she said.
“Glass went everywhere. Another wave hit the car and water started coming in.
“We only had enough time to get out of the car and run before the next wave hit it.
“It was quite a shock – I was just worried that if another wave came it would come right into the car.
“The police have told us we were lucky to get away the way we did because we didn’t have any injuries.
“I had one piece of glass in my hand and Lee had a couple bits in his hand.”
Until the Clio can be repaired – which the port authority has offered to help cover – the couple have been left without a car.
Miss McGuire said her boyfriend has been “gutted” by the incident.
“He’s only had the car for about four years,” she said.
“He was absolutely gutted.
“But he was more worried about getting me out the car. The most important thing is that we’re both okay and we didn’t have any of the dogs in the car at the time.”
Following the incident, the local Coastguard team issued a warning to other motorists asking them to stay clear of the roads around the harbour.
A spokesman said: “The car occupants were very lucky and escaped injury”
