Car knocks dad off bike before crashing into West Bromwich house

A new father escaped with bruises and an injured wrist after being knocked off his motorbike by a car which then mounted the pavement and smashed into a house.

Alastair Lee was riding to his West Bromwich home, after seeing his newborn son and girlfriend in hospital, when the accident happened just yards from his house.

The black BMW ploughed through a front garden, hitting the front garage of the home, leaving its owner to count the cost of the repair work.

Mr Lee, aged 20, was just about to turn into Pimpernel Drive, on the Yew Tree estate, West Bromwich, when his Kawasaki ER-5 motorbike was struck from behind by the BMW.

The collision knocked Mr Lee to the ground, with the bike landing on top of his leg. The motorbike, worth more than £1,000, is thought to be a write-off.

He had been at Walsall Manor Hospital to see his son Riley, who was born premature last Tuesday, and 28-year-old girlfriend Jennifer Hollis.

"I was in pieces, I couldn't get up. I was just so thankful the neighbours came out to help me," said Mr Lees, an apprentice chef who lives in Clary Grove.

"I've been trying to sell the bike and looking to buy a car for us now we have Riley.

"There is so much going on at the moment, you just don't need this."

Resident Glen Burke had been with family inside his house and had just got up to go to the door when he heard a loud bang, just after 8.30pm on Saturday.

When he got outside he saw smoke billowing from the car, which had embedded itself in the garage adjoining the front of his house.

Mr Burke is awaiting an insurance assessment but believes the front of the garage will have to be demolished due to it being unsafe.

"I was just so thankful the car didn't come through our front bay window with us inside," said the 60-year-old.

"It is going to cost a bit to put right," he added.

Police and fire crews attended the scene. Paramedics treated Mr Lee as well as checking over the woman driver of the car and her male passenger.

Mr Lee was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital for precautionary checks but was released later that night.

Investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

By Andrew Turton