Words by Ed King
Emergency services have cordoned off part of Erdington High Street today, after a car crashed through the frontage of Lloyds Bank in a dramatic incident at around 1pm on Friday 6 June.
West Midlands Police have confirmed it was an ccident and not a crime, with a driver losing control of their vehicle and careering through the frontage of the High Street Bank – injuring at least one person inside the premises.
A spokesperson from West Midlands police confirmed: “We were called Erdington High Street just before 12.45pm after a woman was hit by a car.
“The woman, believed to be in her 80s, was taken to hospital. The car driver, in her 70s, was also taken to hospital.”
They added: “Enquiries continue and anyone with information should get in touch via 101, quoting log 2231.”
Members of the public who were around the scene at the time also told Erdington Local they had seen someone had “lost control” or their vehicle and ended up mounting the pavement and careering into the bank’s frontage.
From the road, a grey vehicle can be seen fully inside Lloyds Bank – having been brought to a stop by the internal cash machines near the entrance – with the automatic doors showing smashed glass and clear signs of being heavily damaged.
The marble bench positioned on the pavement just outside the front of Lloyds, in front of the ATM machine facing onto the High Street, has also been uprooted and moved from its fixed location.
Fire engines could be seen stationed around the top of Church Road and Erdington High Street, with several ambulances and police cars also positioned around the area.
Blue and white police tape has been stretched out across the High Street – blocking access to Iceland Supermarket and the businesses neighbouring Lloyds Bank – with traffic being kept clear from the scene.
One delivery drive told Erdington Local he had been trapped there “for about an hour”, whilst many local residents and shoppers were being asked by police to stay away from the area.
Police at the scene were also asking curious onlookers to not film the incident with their phones, as emergency services were “working to support the victim” and were concerned for those who may have known or be related to those affected by the crash.
Erdington Local has contacted all the emergency services present for any updates and official statements.
Out thoughts are with those injured or affected by the incident.
