Couple facing homelessness at Christmas after suspected drink-driver crashes into their house
Jon Hobbs and Jen Harrison were unharmed but happily watching latest 'Fast and the Furious' film when vehicle careered through living room wall in bitterly ironic twist of fate
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Your support makes all the difference.A couple face being homeless for Christmas after a suspected drink-driver smashed a car into their home - while they were watching the Fast and the Furious film.
Shocked Jon Hobbs and his partner Jen Harrison had just clicked play on the action movie when an out-of-control car careered into their living room wall.
Their house in Saltash, Cornwall, has now been left with severe structural damage and the pair - who are engaged and bought the house in April - are anxiously waiting to hear whether they can move back in before Christmas,
Jon, 34, told of how the wall started “tearing apart” and they felt the whole house shake after the impact just after 9pm on Sunday.
He said: “We had just sat down and started a film and then heard a loud bang and the speaker came away from the wall, the table knocked over, mirror down.
“We just started seeing the wall tear apart.
“We both just jumped back in shock and I looked outside and could see the fence down and a car there.
“It took me a moment to think, I thought a truck or something had hit the house, I think my partner was thinking some sort of natural disaster or something.
“We just didn't quite know what had happened, I quickly grabbed my phone and rang the ambulance and the police and then I went outside and saw what was going on.”
The couple have been told by police and their insurance company to not stay in the house as it was potentially unsafe - so are currently staying with friends and family.
He said: “It's all up in the air at the moment. and it is gutting at this time of year if we have to move out now.”
His partner Jen, 35, who is a service manager for a non-profit organisation helping children with learning difficulties, said they were still in deep shock.
She added: “We were home from a night out with friends and had just sat down to watch the new Fast and Furious film.
“Then, all of sudden, we heard a really loud bang. It was like horrendous thunder and the wall just started cracking.
“It all happened so quickly but was like it was in slow motion. It was so scary and we did not know what was going to happen.
“The car had driven through the neighbour's brick wall, onto their garden, into the fence and then onto us.
“The wall took a lot of the damage so it could definitely have been a lot worse.
“We were feeling very lucky. Two young lads were walking by and were missed by seconds.
“We had literally just clicked play on the latest Fast and the Furious movie and were barely able to watch any of it.
“I have had to take the day off work and am still in shock really. It has not really sunk in - but is very frustrating with Christmas just around the corner.
“We were told to leave immediately but should find out later when we can return. There is an awful lot of structural damage and cracks have been appearing on the house overnight.
“The house actually shook - it felt like an earthquake.”
Devon and Cornwall Police have confirmed a man has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving after a Volkswagen had collided with the property.
A police spokesperson said: “A 24-year-old male has been arrested and is currently in police custody under the suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol.”
They confirmed no-one was injured in the incident.
SWNS
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