Narrow escape from A46 lorry crash

A family escaped serious injury on Tuesday afternoon when they were involved in the latest accident on the A46.

Mrs Bonnie Jones (52) was waiting to turn into her driveway on Fosse Road, Farndon, at 4.20pm when a lorry collided with the back of her car.

The impact shunted her Peugeot 307, in which her son Bryn (14) and daughter Lucy (12) were also travelling, into the oncoming traffic.

They collided with a black saloon car that was travelling in the opposite direction towards Newark.

Mrs Jones suffered bruising and pain in her neck, upper back and shoulders. She was not taken to hospital from the scene but visited Newark Hospital the following morning.

Her children suffered minor bruising. The 12-year-old son of a friend of Mrs Jones was also in the car.

None of the other drivers is believed to be seriously injured.

The accident closed that section of the A46 for around an hour and a half, causing major tailbacks during the evening rush hour.

Traffic was diverted through Farndon village and along Hawton Road.

Mrs Jones said the police were on the scene immediately and were joined by a crew from Newark Fire Station, paramedics and the Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.

She praised the efforts of the emergency services and also her neighbours, who came to help her.

The accident happened three weeks after work started to dual the A46 between Newark and Widmerpool.

The project, due to be completed in 2012, will bypass Farndon.

Mrs Jones, who is vice-chairman of Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust and the former chairman of Newark and Sherwood PCT, said her next-door neighbour was involved in a similar accident last year.

“The dualling of the A46 couldn’t come a day too soon. That road is just so dangerous to live on,” she said.

She said it was always difficult turning off the A46 because of traffic.

Recent accidents on the A46 include a collision near East Bridgford last month in which a black Saab was crushed to half its size underneath two lorries. In April there was a five-vehicle crash between Elston and Flintham, and in January there was a three-car collision at Elston.