Chipping Sodbury Christmas market car crash leaves seven injured
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Chipping Sodbury Christmas market car crash leaves seven injured

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

BBC A picture of the main street in Chipping Sodbury with barriers erected on the left side of the road. There are a lot of people behind the barriers, stretching all along the street into the distance. A police car is parked in the middle of the street and several police officers are talking to passers-by. BBC

Seven pedestrians were examined on site by emergency services

Two young children, including a baby, were taken to hospital after a car plowed into a group of pedestrians at a Christmas market.

South Western Ambulance Service received a call at 11:58 GMT on Sunday about the incident on High Street in Chipping Sodbury, near Bristol. Five adults were also injured.

Avon and Somerset Police said a man – believed to be in his 80s – collided with pedestrians at slow speeds as he maneuvered out of a parking space.

A spokesman said that despite the extensive emergency response, no injuries were currently reported to be life-threatening or life-changing.

A police car was parked in the middle of the street. Behind it, several market stalls are set up in front of a historic-looking stone building.

The fire brigade, rescue service and police worked together to treat the injured on site

Five ambulances, a rescue plane and several other emergency services were sent to the market town, which is about 18 miles northeast of Bristol.

Seven pedestrians, including five adults and two children, were examined at the scene by paramedics.

In a statement posted on Facebook, organizers confirmed that the Christmas Sunday event was still going ahead despite the injuries.

They said: “Police have advised us not to cancel today’s event, so the rest of the High Street from Hobbs House Bakery down towards Broad Street and Horse Street is still open.”

“We would ask anyone attending today to refrain from photographing the incident or speculating on social media as we work with emergency services to help those in need.”

The event started at 11:00 GMT and is expected to end at 17:30 GMT.

Esra Ward wears a blue fleece sweater, a colorful knitted scarf and a beige apron with red trim. She has brown hair, brown hair and a nose ring. She looks just above the camera and in the background the police are gathering near the scene of the accident.

Witness Esra Ward said the incident happened very quickly

Esra Ward, who runs a pizza stand at the market, witnessed the whole thing.

“We were just talking to the customers outside our van,” she said.

“The car was parked and suddenly we saw him speeding up as he came out of the parking space and hit a few people.

“There was a mother standing in front of the car with a baby in a stroller. Apparently he met a few people in the back, a family. The ambulance, police and fire department were here in about five minutes.”

A man with glasses, a dark Christmas sweater and a dark coat stands in front of a crowd and looks into the camera

Market stall owner Ady Jones said he was “shocked” by the incident.

Market stall owner Ady Jones said he was “shocked” after seeing the car “career” off the pavement.

“There was a loud screech. There was a lot of screaming and obviously people had been hurt,” he said.

“The stalls had to remain closed for a long period of time, but fortunately people were not seriously injured.”

“The situation could have been far worse.”

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