FIVE people were injured when a Fiesta ploughed head on into a parked car, shunting it 70ft up the road and into a wall.

It is believed a family of five were in the white Ford Fiesta when it crashed, with a 32-yearold man having to be taken to Southend Hospital.

A couple walking their dog had to scramble for cover when the crash happened in Rayleigh Road, Eastwood.

Ray Woodcock, 72, the owner of the Peugeot which was hit, said: “I was in the garden and heard a really loud bang.

“My car had been parked outside.

There was a hell of a bang, so I went outside and there were 20 people surrounding a very badly damaged Fiesta.

“I thought ‘hold on, someone has stolen my vehicle’ but when I looked it had been hit off the pavement. It was 70ft up the road embedded in someone’s wall.

“I just couldn’t believe how such a small vehicle could shunt my car 70ft up the road. The family in the car were in a bad way and the damage to both cars weas incredible.”

Ray, a daredevil fundraiser who attempted a world record parachute jump from 30,000ft, added: “I thought I was going to die from bungee jumping or jumping out of a plane not from a parked car.”

Firefighters from Leigh were called out to the scene to help free the five people in the Fiesta.

A spokeswoman for East of England Ambulance Service said a 32-year-old man was taken to Southend Hospital with chest injuries, with a woman and three children treated for shock at the scene.

The woman was driving the Fiesta.

Ray’s son Marc, 35, of Southview Drive, Westcliff, was quickly on the scene. He said: “It was absolute carnage. Dad’s car ended up pushed back against the neighbour’s front wall. The damage is unbelievable.

“Dad was in the house and neighbours said it sounded like an aeroplane coming down, the noise of the impact was horrific.

“A couple were walking their dog on the road when they heard a bang and they scrambled as dad’s car came hurtling towards them.”