Men hurt as car crashes into pub smoking shelter

Two men have been injured after a car crashed into a smoking shelter outside a pub on Saturday evening.

West Yorkshire Police said the blue BMW 335D struck the shelter at the Four Horseshoes in Milnsbridge, Huddersfield, just before 23:00 BST.

The driver of the vehicle is also said to have assaulted two other men who tried to stop him from leaving the scene. He was then picked up by a white Volkswagen Golf.

A 35-year-old man from Huddersfield was later arrested on suspicion of drink driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and two offences of assault, and has since been released on police bail.

Pub landlord Danny Black said while both men were seriously injured, the situation could have been even worse as drinkers usually congregate around the area the car crashed into.

"Because of the weather I would say we weren't as busy as what we normally would be. The weekend before we were packed to the rafters at 11 and if that had been a repeat last weekend there would have most definitely been fatalities."

A police spokesperson said the men's injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

They added that neither of the assault victims were seriously injured.

Black said he had been checking his DJ equipment when he heard the impact of the BMW and said he thought "what the heck's just gone pop".

"Then I looked out of the window and thought 'the smoking shelter's a funny shape', then I saw blue and I switched the microphone on and said 'all the bar staff outside now'."

At that point Black said he did not know anybody was in the shelter as he could not see anyone.

Once outside, he said they realised two people were trapped in the wreckage and his staff tried to help them before the emergency services arrived.

"Really there wasn't a great deal we could have done other than keep them warm.

"We managed to get one of the guys out before they [the emergency services] turned up. I think he's got broken ribs from the impact and think his head hit the windscreen of the BMW as it entered the smoking shelter."

He said he believed the other man was in Pinderfields Hospital with serious leg injuries.

Black said he was grateful for his employees' swift actions and the customers who stepped in to help one another.

"We would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to the incredible emergency services who responded so quickly and professionally."

West Yorkshire Police said officers would like to speak to anyone who saw or has footage of the BMW or the white Golf, which had a damaged rear window, at the scene.

"They would also like to speak to anyone in the Milnsbridge area during the evening of Saturday 4 April who saw the blue BMW travelling in convoy with a black Audi S3 prior to the crash at the pub."

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