A WOMAN was sent hurtling across a room when a car crashed through the wall of her home.

Michelle Lennox and three housemates were watching television and chatting when the Vauxhall Cavalier left the road and came crashing through the wall - missing them by inches.

Miss Lennox said she felt grateful to be alive. She was sitting by the windowsill as the car hit the property, sending her across the room.

The house was so badly damaged in the crash, on Tuesday night, that all four had to be found emergency accommodation and were still without a permanent base yesterday.

The emergency services were unable to remove the car from the property for several hours after the accident, for fear that the house would collapse when the vehicle was pulled out.

Bryan Binyon, 39, stood outside his rented home in St Paul's Road, Hartlepool, that he shares with Miss Lennox, Michael Sparks, 43, and Deano Westall, 29, yesterday and surveyed the damage.

He said: "I was playing on the computer in front of the window when I saw these bright lights come shining through the window. I heard this loud bang and thought it was a bomb. I shouted 'bomb'.

"The whole wall seemed to collapse and we ran out. It was a nightmare."

Miss Lennox, 42, wept as she recalled how she was sitting by the windowsill with her dog, Lady, and her cat, Tiger, when the car struck.

"As the car came in, I got moved across the room by the rubble," she said. "I think I was in shock. We got outside and then my legs just went and I collapsed. I feel very lucky to be here."

She said the friends believed Tiger had been badly hurt in the accident as she was nowhere to be found afterwards.

However, yesterday, as they stood outside the house, the tabby cat returned.

Miss Lennox said the lone male driver of the car managed to clamber out of the vehicle, but was badly dazed.

Police arrived on the scene moments later, and the 24-year-old was arrested.

He was taken to Hartlepool police station and yesterday was still helping with inquiries.

The friends' landlord, Wajid Qayyum, of SW Property Development, said he visited the house and could not believe the damage.

"They are all very lucky to have got out of that," he said.

"They are excellent tenants, so I am doing all I can to find them somewhere else to live on a temporary basis.

"Engineers have been out and the house can be repaired, but it needs a new wall, bay window and part of the floor replacing."