Five teens lucky to be alive after horror plunge - can you ID car involved? (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth teens have miracle escape after smash

9:26am Thursday 14th March 2013 in News By Joanna Davis

FIVE teenage girls say it is a miracle they survived a horror crash in which their car was flipped over four times as it plunged down a steep embankment.

Driver Katy Robinson, 17, said she swerved to avoid an oncoming car which had veered onto her side of the road.

The Weymouth College students escaped with minor cuts and bruises and whiplash following the crash close to the Winterborne Monkton junction on the B3159 between Martinstown and Upwey.

They were on their way to a lecture when Katy, of Southill, Weymouth, said she swerved to avoid hitting a green car which was travelling towards Martinstown.

She added: “I could see this car coming towards us and I instinctively swerved to avoid a head-on collision.

“We fell about 25 ft, flipped over and landed flat on the road below. We were wedged between two verges.

“Some of us were crying and screaming. It was a miracle that we were okay.”

Dorset Police are appealing to find the driver of the green car that was believed to have been involved in the incident, which took place at 2.30pm on Monday. Katy and her passengers Abi Strong, 16, Megan Austin, 17, Sadie Morris, 18 and Danni Barnes, 17, who are all from Weymouth, were helped by three motorists who stopped at the scene.

Three of the girls had to be cut out of the blue Renault Clio by firefighters.

The five friends were taken to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester by ambulance and were discharged after a few hours with minor injuries.

Katy, who passed her driving test last month, suffered cuts to her hands.

Katy's mum Joanne Robinson, 49, said she would like to thank the members of the public who helped, the emergency services and hospital staff.

She said: “It's absolutely incredible the girls survived. You think about what could have been.

“I spoke to one of the people who was first on the scene. He told me it was quite horrific seeing Katy looking dazed and confused.

“He was brilliant and spoke to them and calmed them down. We're so grateful to all the people who stopped to help them and to the emergency services and want to thank them.

“The hospital staff told us they were surprised the injuries were not more serious or fatal. “This was a parent's worst nightmare. There's still a lump in my throat that won't go away.

“I just can't believe they got out alive. It's a miracle. Somewhere up there must be looking out for them. They all have guardian angels.”

The teenagers, who are all on the same BTEC art and design course, are planning to start a petition calling for safety barriers on the side of the road.

Mrs Robinson is urging anyone who had information about the crash to come forward.

She said. “I would say to that person 'if you've got a conscience, come forward.

“If you were there, if that was you in the green car, come forward and just say 'it was me'.

“They must have known that they were on the wrong side of the road.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said officers would like to talk to the driver of the green car as 'a possible witness' to the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dorset Police traffic department on 101.