An elderly couple thought they were in for a smashing Christmas - when a high powered hatchback crashed into their living-room.

Eric and Julia Mackman were lucky to escape injury because they were in another room when the black Ford Focus careered into their home at Briergate, Haxby, York.

The deafening impact sent rubble and a TV set flying into the air and left a gaping hole under their front window.

Mr and Mrs Mackman were eating lunch in a back room when the car ran out of control at about 1.30pm yesterday.

The driver, a local woman, who is believed to have skidded on ice, was taken to York Hospital as a precaution, but not seriously injured.

"Fortunately we are all right, apart from being in shock," Mr Mackman told the Evening Press.

"We were at the back of the house having lunch when we heard a tremendous bang.

"We opened the drawing room door and couldn't see anything at first because it was full of dust.

"When it cleared, we could see the car sticking through and all the brickwork knocked out."

The couple, who immediately raised the alarm, frantically put buckets down to catch the water pouring out of a radiator which was also broken in the smash.

The carpets in the room have also been ruined, along with some glass tables.

Engineers have now secured the hole with wooden boards and an emergency plumber managed to stop the water leak and get the heating back on.

"It's not a great start to our Christmas," said Mr Mackman.

"I think we should just about be in a fit state to welcome our guests if the carpets dry out in time.

"We obviously feel lucky that we weren't in the room. Our insurers said we could stay in a hotel, but how could we leave the house with a damn great hole in the wall?"

A spokeswoman for York police said initial indications were that the driver skidded on ice, but the investigation was still ongoing.

An ambulance service spokeswoman confirmed that the driver was taken to York Hospital as a precaution, but her injuries were not serious.

North News, 69 Grainger Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5JE

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