Holidaying family chases drink-driver after late-night crash

A shocked holidaymaker has told how a minor crash led to a bizarre pursuit with a drunk driver that ended when the other car smashed into a signpost.
The damage to the drunk-driver's carThe damage to the drunk-driver's car
The damage to the drunk-driver's car

Chloe Richardson, 26, said she and her partner Darren Holmes, 29, were driving down Bispham Road at around 11.30pm on Saturday when they braked and a car ran into the back of them.

But they say as they pulled up and put their hazard lights on, the driver of the vehicle sped away.

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Chloe said they gave pursuit, with their three children Bobby, six, Lilly, eight, and Harrison, four, in the back seat, before finally catching up with the driver when he crashed in to a signpost.

Chloe and DarrenChloe and Darren
Chloe and Darren

The 26-year-old, who was on holiday at the Cala Gran in Fleetwood at the time, said: “We pulled over, put on the hazards and expected the driver to get out so we could swap insurance details.

“Instead he looked at us and did a wheel spin away.

“We were so shocked and my partner was so annoyed that he hadn’t stopped that we followed him.

“We were concerned because he had been bumper to bumper with us all the way and when he didn’t stop we thought there was something wrong.

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“There wasn’t that much damage and no reason to speed off so we guessed it was a young lad with no car insurance or a drunk driver.

“We followed him down some dark country lanes for about five minutes and he kept switching off his headlights to try and lose us.

“Then he came to a roundabout where the traffic was backing up and he crashed in to a signpost.

“I was scared and also worried that he had injured himself, but he got out of his car and didn’t have a mark on him.

“He held his hands up and said: ‘I’m sorry.’

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“We called the police and the man was arrested for being over the limit.”

Now she hopes to track down another couple who came to their aid during the ordeal – so she can thank them.

Close added: “While we waited for the police we were helped by a couple who pulled up and helped us with the children.

“Without them it may have been very different.

“We didn’t get their names and we just want to say thank you to them properly.

“We are appealing for them to get in touch.”

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Chloe, who lives in the North East, said the couple stopped their car to help as she phoned the police.

She added: “I don’t know the area very well, so I walked back to the roundabout to help to direct the police but it meant the children were on their own in the car as my partner was dealing with the driver.

“The couple stopped and asked if I was all right and when I explained what had happened they went over and looked after the children until the police arrived.”

A police spokesperson said: “We received a call at around 11.40pm on Saturday.

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“It was reported that a blue Ford Focus had gone in to the back of a red Volkswagen Golf and that a sign had been damaged on Farraway Lane.

“A 40-year-old man was charged with drink driving and bailed to appear at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on November 27.”