Audi that killed three in horror Anglesey crash was seen with ‘wheels spinning and tyres smoking’ before it smashed into house ‘at full speed’
An Audi that killed three in a horror crash in Anglesey leapt out of a parking bay and accelerated towards a seafront house, with ‘wheels spinning’ and tyres smoking, before the fatal accident, an eye witness has said.
The pair, in their 60s, were walking in Anglesey yesterday when the car swerved to avoid a horse and carriage before ploughing into them. The driver, a man in his 80s, also died at the scene.
The dead driver’s elderly wife was not in the car, it is understood, and was comforted in the aftermath by staff at a local hotel.
Ifan Jones, a 20-year-old student who witnessed the collision, told MailOnline today: ‘The car took off with its wheels spinning, a little bit of smoke. It sped straight out, no swerving. From what I could see it was accelerating the whole time.’
An elderly man who lives in the house that was struck by the Audi is now staying at a local hotel while his home awaits repairs.
The only sign of yesterday’s tragedy is a boarded up window plus fencing and traffic cones, as well as a sign warning of oil on the road. A handful of bouquets of flowers have also been left outside.
Emergency services at the scene on Alma Street in Beaumaris on Anglesey, where two men and a woman died in a horror crash
The car is said to have struck two pedestrians as it swerved to avoid a horse-drawn carriage
Police at the scene in the Beaumaris Pier area yeesterday following the fatal crash
Police and paramedics rushed to the Beaumaris seafront shortly after 2.45pm yesterday to reports that a driver had become unwell before hitting pedestrians.
Officers have now confirmed a woman and man in their 60s had been walking when the car ploughed into them, killing them and the elderly motorist.
Mr Jones, from nearby Menai Bridge, said his impression was that the driver began trying to make the sharp right hand turn but was going too fast.
‘It was never making the corner and it went straight into the first house in that row,’ he said. ‘There was a really loud bang, people were sprinting over. It was a pretty chaotic scene.
‘It all happened really quickly. I froze, really. It didn’t look right straight away. When he hit the wall I was so stunned.
‘I saw at least one casualty, he was getting CPR. It was horrible to see. A member of the public had been trying to save him, she was pretty emotional afterwards.’
Mr Jones said the Audi had been parked in a bay on a side road at right angles to Alma Street, where the crash happened.
‘I don’t remember seeing the car before,’ he added. ‘It was a pretty nice car, powerful, going by how he accelerated and how fast he hit the wall.
‘Beaumaris is a quiet town, nothing really happens here out of the ordinary. It’s a peaceful place, people get away for a few days. It’s really shaken up the area.
‘It was getting busy, the playground was full, the sun was coming out, it was generally a normal day.’
He added: ‘It’s just so tragic.’
The dead driver’s elderly wife, who was comforted by local hotel staff, was ‘very frail’ and ‘confused’ after the incident, an employee has said.
‘From what I’ve been told, the driver was already unconscious when the car was speeding towards the house,’ the staffer told MailOnline today. ‘His wife was very frail and confused afterwards, understandably so.
‘I don’t know why she wasn’t in the car with her husband.
‘The worst damage to the car was on the passenger’s side – if she’d been sitting there she would almost certainly have been killed too.
‘It’s terrible that three people have died, but it could have been much worse.
‘It was very busy here yesterday, there were lots of families out in the sunshine. And if the car had carried on around the corner it would have reached the main road after just a few yards.
‘It just doesn’t bear thinking about.’
The Air Ambulance that was called following the accident at Alma Street in Beaumaris on Anglesey, where three people have died following a road collision. North Wales Police said officers responded to reports of a road collision in Beaumaris on Anglesey, shortly after 2.45pm on Wednesday
Car crash at Beaumaris on Anglesey yesterday afternoon
The Audi A6 at the scene of the accident, on the promenade at Beaumaris, and the house that the house involved in the accident
The community has come together to mourn the loss of life.
The nearby Bulkeley Hotel – overlooking the Menai Strait and the distant peaks of Snowdonia – has lowered the Welsh, Irish and Union flags to half mast.
‘We’ve lowered the flags out of respect to the people who died and also to show our gratitude to the members of the public and emergency services who responded,’ general manager Paul Rowlands said.
‘Everyone did what they could, I lost count of the amount of emergency vehicles which attended.
‘Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives.’
At the nearby lifeboat station the RNLI flag is also at half-mast today.
Beaumaris town council is setting up a book of condolence for people to sign.
It said: ‘Yesterday an unimaginable event happened here in Beaumaris and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those touched by the tragedy.
‘We wish to thank the emergency services for their efforts and others who assisted and supported them.
‘If you witnessed or have any information about the incident, we would urge you to share that with the police to assist their investigation.
‘A Book of Condolence will be at the Tourist Information Point from tomorrow should you wish to write a message.’
Plaid Cymru leader and Anglesey Senedd member Rhun ap Iorwerth posted: ‘My condolences are with those involved and their loved ones.
‘I ask anyone who has any information to assist the police in their investigation to come forward. I am grateful to all the emergency services for their quick response.’
The horror crash happened on the seafront at Beaumaris on Anglesey
Police and paramedics rushed to Beaumaris seafront on Anglesey shortly after 2.45pm yesterday
North Wales Police today said: ‘Members of the public and the emergency services responded, however despite the best efforts of all involved the male driver of the Audi, and the male and female pedestrian, were sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
‘The driver of the Audi was aged in his 80s and was local to the North Wales area. The male and female pedestrians were aged in their 60s and were not local to the North Wales area.’
Sergeant Emlyn Hughes from the force’s serious collision investigation unit, added: ‘Our deepest condolences remain with the families of the three who were fatally injured. All are now being supported by specially trained family liaison officers.
‘We continue to appeal to anybody who may have witnessed the incident that hasn’t already spoken to officers, or anybody who may have dash cam or front door camera footage, to please get in touch.
‘Yesterday’s collision will have had a profound effect, not only on the families of all those involved, but also to the wider community of Beaumaris.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that assisted at the scene and those, including local businesses, who offered a place of refuge for all those involved.
‘We would urge people not to speculate regarding the circumstances of the collision, and if anybody has information relating to the collision, and who is yet to speak to us, they are urged to contact us as soon as possible.’
Shocked locals told of how the pedestrians had been ploughed into by an Audi A5[4] which appeared ‘completely out the blue’ before it crashed into a house close to Beaumaris pier.
One local said: ‘It swerved to go around a horse and carriage, mounted the pavement and hit pedestrians who were walking past a house – they didn’t stand a chance.
Officers cordoned off the area while they conducted investigations
An air ambulance is seen taking off after the horror crash on the seafront in North Wales
‘There are people standing around in shock, they can’t believe what has happened.’
It’s understood the horse and carriage belonged to Blackhorse Carriages, who offer services for local weddings and funerals.
Another witness said she watched ‘people trying very, very hard to do CPR’.
‘It was just awful, the ambulance took ages to get here and when the police and the vehicles eventually came… there was nothing they could do once they got here.
‘(The vehicle) was so mangled. It’s so mangled it’s not true.
‘Everybody really rallied around, diverting the traffic and trying their best to give the people dignity, but it was pretty horrific.’
She added: ‘The town is absolutely full of tourists and people walk down that street. It’s just a beautiful, beautiful place.’
Witness Keith Shed also posted on social media: ‘It happened right in front of us on the road beside the pier.
‘It’s an utter tragedy for those directly affected by the crash.
‘No warning, it happened completely out of the blue.’
Beaumaris on the Menai Strait is popular with families visiting Anglesey with many of them drawn to Edward I’s unfinished 14th century castle.
The town has been particularly busy over the past six weeks with school holiday crowds.
Local MP Llinos Medi posted online: ‘Devastating news from Beaumaris. I am thinking of everyone who has been affected.
‘The news has shaken our community here on the island. A heartfelt thank you to all the emergency services and volunteers who are responding to the emergency.’
It’s understood the horse and carriage belonged to Blackhorse Carriages, who offer services for local weddings and funerals (pictured in Beaumaris in May)
Virginia Crosbie, former Conservative MP for Ynys Mon, added in a statement on Facebook: ‘My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and loved ones.’
Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, said in a statement on X: ‘This is devastating news and my condolences are with those involved and their loved ones.
‘I ask anyone who has any information to assist the police in their investigation to come forward.
‘I am grateful to all the emergency services for their quick response. Diolch.’
The Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John, and the Bishop of Bardsey, David Morris, issued a joint statement yesterday offering ‘our sympathy and prayers to all who have been involved in today’s car accident’.
They said: ‘This is devastating news for the community and for the friends and family of the three people who have sadly died.’
References
- ^ James Tozer (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Jane Matthews (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Natasha Anderson (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ pedestrians had been ploughed into by an Audi A5 (www.dailymail.co.uk)