‘I thought it was a bomb, it nearly killed my kids’ – families tell of horror after car crashes through two fences into their back garden

Police arrested a man after the car veered off the Brians Well Road roundabout in west Belfast on Saturday morning.

Witnesses said the car went out of control as it travelled down the Colinmill Road before going straight over the roundabout, through two fences and flying into the gardens below.

Fence panels, debris and damage littered the gardens of the McDonagh and Hartley families on Brians Well Grove who both had children playing outside at the time.

The residential area is set below the level of the roundabout and residents said the car became airborne as it travelled through the panels and flew past the children.

Mum-of-four Leona Hartley (30) said: “The kids were out the back and I didn’t know if it was a bomb or a lorry or what and this car just landed out of nowhere.

"My son was just about to lift his sister off the trampoline and onto the swing and before he could the car came smashing through and hit the swing, I have been shaking all morning, we were very lucky.

"There was a fella in the car when it came to a stop and I was out screaming at him ‘you nearly killed my kids!’ and all he could say was ‘sorry’, he had barely any reaction.

"My wee girl has been holding her hands over her ears all morning in shock, the wee ones were all terrified, the screams of them, it’s very lucky nobody died.

"I don’t know how anybody wasn’t killed, that road isn’t safe they need to put a proper crash barrier up there, it’s mad.”

Members of the neighbouring McDonagh family echoed their neighbour’s call for improved safety measures on the roundabout.

They said: “We were out in the back garden having a cup of tea and the next thing the car came flying through the fence and above our heads.

"The children was roaring and screaming, oh my god, it happened so quick we didn’t know what happened until we seen the car in the driveway.

"It hit our dog run as it came through, funny enough the boys were talking about getting rid of it just before it happened. The police said if it hadn’t hit the dog run it would’ve collided with the house.

"The fella was still in the car and everybody thought he was dead but the police came and took him away.”

The PSNI say a 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of driving while unfit through drink or drugs.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police received a report of single vehicle road traffic collision in the Brians Well Grove area of Dunmurry.

“It was reported that a grey Volkswagen collided with a fence. A 31-year-old man remains in police custody.

“We would encourage anyone who witnessed the collision, or anyone with any information, including dashcam footage, to contact Police on 101 quoting reference 396 of 27/04/24.”