THE owners of a house have spoken of their shock after a speeding car careered into their front garden on Saturday afternoon.

Dave Worthington and his wife Dorothy, both aged 63, were both sitting in the living room of their home on Leigh when they heard a large bang outside at about 3.40pm.

A black Ford Fiesta, which had been travelling downhill in Wigan Road, had veered over to the other side of the road and crashed into a wall, before flipping over and landing in the front garden.

Mr and Mrs Worthington were unhurt, and the male driver emerged from the damaged car without serious injuries.

Mr Worthington, who has lived at the house for more than 40 years, said: "I was sat in the living room reading, and my wife was knitting.

"The first thing we knew, we heard this almighty bang outside, and then another bang. I think the first bang must have been him hitting the curb, and then it must have been him coming into the garden and hitting my car.

"There is not much you can do about it, but it isn't good. I just hope he gets what he deserves in court."

The car was later removed from the garden, at about 5.30pm, and the couple, were allowed back into their house.

A police spokesman said the driver was initially arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol, but was de-arrested after being found to be under the limit.

But he has been reported for driving offences and will be summonsed to court.

There had initially been some concern about the structure of the building following the incident, but it was declared safe and the car did not breach the house.

Mr Worthington said motorists often exceed the speed limits on the road.

He said: "We have had a few bumps recently, but there has been nothing like this. He must have been coming at quite a speed to have done that.

Geoff Thornley, the fire station manager at the scene of the incident, said: "How nobody was seriously injured as a result of this incident, I will never know.

"The driver had lost control and there were bricks and glass everywhere after it had crashed. Both the owners of the house and the driver of the car were very lucky to walk away from it."

A spokesman for the fire service added: "We were called at 3.45pm to concerns about the structure of the house in Wigan Road after a car had crashed into a house and the garden.

"Nobody was trapped in the house or the garden.

"One male got out of the car before the emergency services arrived. The man was treated for cuts and bruises."