Lamp post smashes through flat window after car crash in West Drayton

A lamp post went through the window of a flat in West Drayton after a car crashed into it outside a block of flats.

Footage shared with UB1UB2 on Friday 2 October shows the metal column broken off at the base. It is leaning at a steep angle against the brick front of the building, and the lamp head has gone through the glass of a first-floor window.

The pane is badly shattered. Pieces of the car's bumper and bodywork are spread across the road and pavement below, and the railings next to the light column appear smashed.

What is and is not known

The exact street has not been confirmed, and neither has the time of the crash. It is also not known whether anyone was hurt, either in the car or in the flat. The footage was filmed in daylight.

Neither the Metropolitan Police nor the London Ambulance Service has publicly confirmed the incident. It is not known whether any arrests were made or whether the driver stayed at the scene.

The room behind the broken window is reportedly a bedroom. Locals said it was lucky the damage was not worse.

Damaged street lights

Hillingdon Council looks after street lighting on public roads in the borough. In 2018 it finished replacing about 23,700 sodium street lights with LED lights. Lights on private estates and housing association land are the responsibility of their owners, not the council.

A light column that has been knocked down, or has exposed wires, is dangerous. Residents can report street lighting problems to Hillingdon Council through its online Report it service at any time of day or night. Damage to street furniture such as railings can be reported the same way.

If you see a knocked-down column with exposed wiring, keep away from it and report it straight away. In an emergency, or if someone is hurt, call 999.

Anyone who saw the crash or has information about it can contact the police on 101. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.