Shocked eyewitness gets into scuffle with driver who flipped over his car on busy Portsmouth road

Emergency services were deployed to London Road, Hilsea, last night after a black car was seen on its roof. Debris was scattered all over the road as concerned members of the public watched on.

One eyewitness, who asked not to be named, said it was “shocking” to see the vehicle flip over. He told The News: “I was with my son and he was driving.

"We were around the post office area when it happened. I heard a big bang and saw the car flip. The car in front stopped well away from it.

NOW READ: Pictures show car which flipped over in London Road crash

"I told my son to drive round and we rushed towards the car, along with another guy. He opened the door and we tried to keep the driver there. It was shocking to see how the car flew over”

The eye-witness said they and another member of the public, who volunteers with SafeVue CCTV patrols – which monitor Hilsea and other areas in the north of the city at night – stopped the driver from leaving the area until the emergency services arrived.

Firefighters, police and an ambulance, were all deployed. The road was cordoned off while they worked at the scene.

The eye witness added that the motorist, a male, became aggressive when he heard the sirens. “The fire brigade turned up and as soon as he heard the sirens he said ‘I ain’t staying here, I’m off’”, they added.

"We grabbed him and pulled him back after he tried to leave. We had to put him on the floor and wait for the police to turn up. There were a lot of people outside.

"No one wanted to get involved and help us when were grabbing him. Everyone was more interested in looking at the car than keeping him at the scene.

SEE ALSO: Residents set up patrols in Hilsea and North Portsmouth to tackle crime scourge

"I was trying to hold the bloke down, then he got aggressive. The other guy said the aggressor threw a punch at me. We rolled him on his side so he could breath, then the police stormed in, held him down and arrested him.”

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have yet to confirm if the arrest was made. A spokesman previously said: “We were called at 8.40pm yesterday to a report of a single vehicle collision on London Road.

"No injuries were reported.” A spokeswoman from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said firefighters from Cosham arrived at the scene and made it safe, with the stop message given at 9.15pm.