A DOG walker had a lucky escape after a fire engine ploughed into a church wall just yards from where he was walking.

Paul Belmont, of Piercy Avenue, Marchwiel, says he was just a matter of seconds away from the point of impact when a fire engine crashed into the boundary wall of St Deiniol and St Marcella Church in Marchwiel on Monday morning.

As the Leader reported yesterday the fire engine was responding to a 999 call when it was involved in the collision, which caused serious structural damage to the wall.

Mr Belmont said: “I was out walking my dog Zara at around 8am going to the newsagents to pick up a paper. I was on the same side of the road as the church.

“I heard the fire engine’s siren and the vehicle’s engine as it came up from behind.”

He said he was just five metres away from where the fire engine hit.

He added: “After the crash, the vehicle continued for a brief distance before coming to a stop. I went over and asked the firefighters if they were okay.”

One fireman suffered minor injuries in the incident.

Mr Belmont says the area has become an accident “blackspot” and is calling for action.

“There have been a number of crashes in that area over the last few years,” he said.

“I have previously talked about them with people in the village and said it was lucky there was no-one walking past. Well there was on this occasion and it was me.

“Something needs to be done about the traffic situation.”

At the time of the accident the fire engine was on it way to a call at Cross Lanes involving a large fuel spill from a lorry.
An investigation into the incident is now underway.
A spokesman for Wrexham Council’s highways department was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.