A CAR crashed through a family’s home as they were sleeping leaving a trial of destruction behind.

The emergency services were called after a blue Audi smashed into the side of a house in Wignall Street, Lawford, at about 11.20pm on Tuesday.

Terry Spires, 43, lives in the house with his wife Vicky, 49, stepson Frank Hollingshead, 25, and 19-year-old twin sons Billy and Jay.

Terry said: “Everyone had just gone to bed and then the whole house shook.

“We went downstairs and screamed out for my stepson Frank as the car went into his bedroom.

“We couldn’t see anything downstairs because of so much dust and the lower chimney exploded.

“My wife was shouting out for Frank as we could not hear him or get a response.”

They then heard Frank call out to the driver to see if they were OK.

Terry added: “All the debris was in the living room from the pressure of the car hitting the house.

“There is nothing left of Frank’s room.”

Terry’s twin sons were not in the house at the time of the crash.

The house will take about six weeks to repair, so the family is having to stay with friends or relatives or in their camper van.

Braintree and Witham Times: Damage inside the propertyDamage inside the property

Terry added: “I am thinking about starting a petition to make the road safer as there have been lots of accidents outside the house.

“It was always a case of when will this happen, rather than if it will happen.”

An Essex County Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “Firefighters reported no-one was trapped in the car and worked to ensure the utility supplies were disconnected and the area was safe.”

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said the one person was taken to Colchester Hospital for further care.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “No serious injuries were believed to have been reported.”

No-one had been arrested in connection with the accident at the time of going to press.