HOUSEHOLDER Graham Swatton says he had a lucky escape after a car smashed into the front of his neighbour’s house in the early hours of the morning.

Graham, 59, of Curtis Street, was asleep in his front room at 12.15am on Saturday when a red Land Rover ploughed into the front of the house next door.

No one was hurt in the crash as the house was empty at the time but it has destroyed the bay window of the front room, some of the main wall and the front garden wall.

But had the vehicle come off the road a few feet to the left then Graham admits the outcome might have been very different.

Graham, who works as a delivery driver and porter, was relaxing in his own front room when the incident took place.

He said: “I work long hours and have been looking after my wife who was recently in hospital, so was up late.

“I was sitting in a chair in my own bay window taking a nap when I suddenly heard a loud bang which was a complete shock.

“I had no idea what it was until I went outside and saw the car in the front of the house.

“I’m feeling very lucky because if it had gone into my window then I don’t think I would be here having this conversation today. “I was sitting in the same spot where it went through [relative to the other house],” he said.

“With the amount of damage it did I don’t think there is much chance anyone would have walked away.

“It’s very lucky the property was empty because I dread to think what the outcome would have been otherwise.

“I’m not sure how they managed to get the vehicle there. It was a shock when I saw it.”

The house is rented and the occupants have had to spend a number of nights at alternative accommodation, Graham said.

A police spokesman said: “We were called at 12.15am on Saturday after reports of a vehicle going into a building.”

n Adam Saedaldin, 26, of North Wall, Cricklade, has been charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis. He will appear before Swindon Magistrates’ on December 14