Nursery workers in Southsea 'devastated' as car crashes into wall for third time

Police were called to the Rainbow Corner Day Nursery, in Victoria Road North, today after a Volkswagen travelling northbound left the road and hit the back wall, destroying a wooden gate.

The driver was reported to suffer minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment. No one else was hurt.

Lucy Whitehead, the nursery owner, said: 'We're absolutely devastated.

'I can't quite believe it has happened. The thing we were most concerned about was something like this happening in the day and now that has happened.'

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: ‘We can confirm that officers were called out to an incident at 1.44pm today (December 18) to reports of a single-vehicle collision on Victoria Road North.

‘A silver Volkswagen left the road and crashed into a wall outside of the Rainbow Corner Nursery School. One person suffered minor injuries.'

This is the third time a car has hit the boundary wall of the nursery in the space of two years, although the other two collisions happened in the middle of the night.

The afternoon before the most recent incident Portsmouth City Council's traffic boss, Councillor Lynne Stagg, had approved new safety measures, including bollards and signs, for the road.

‘It was great news that the safety measures were approved yesterday but after this I have asked that something temporary is put in straight away - like a temporary barrier,’ Lucy said.

‘And I have been told the council is looking at putting something in in the next 24 hours.’

SEE ALSO: Calls made for road safety measures outside Drayton nursery

Cllr Lynne Stagg added: ‘This proves the need for safety measures along there. This is really urgent now.’

A neighbour of the nursery, who has lived there seven years, said her wall has been hit twice by cars.

She said: 'I worry that one day someone could get hit because there's a bus stop right by the nursery. And sometimes my grandaughter walks along here to pop by after school and I think she could get hit.'

No arrests have been made.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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