Lauren's smash survival miracle (From Thurrock Gazette)

Lauren's smash survival miracle

12:00pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in News

A WOMAN who is “lucky to be alive” has thanked those who helped her after her car went under a lorry.

Lauren Martiney, 19, from Grays, was travelling down the A128, Brentwood Road, off the Orsett Cock roundabout, when her car was involved in a collision with a lorry pulling out of a layby.

Miss Martiney’s Ford Fiesta went under the lorry, leaving her covered head to toe in glass and dust, but amazingly, not seriously injured.

She said: “There were so many people who stopped to help, but as I’d hurt my neck, I couldn’t see anything to the side of me.

"I was absolutely terrified and screaming for someone to get me out of my car as I was worried it would catch fire, and someone dragged me out – there was also a lady who came out of her house to help.

“I just want to say a big thank you to everyone.”

Lauren, who was on her way to her mum’s house at the time, said the emergency services couldn’t believe she was not seriously injured.

She added: “They told me I was lucky to be alive – they couldn’t believe I’d managed to get out of the car without even breaking anything.”

The fire service was the first to arrive on the scene, and gave Lauren oxygen and first aid.

She was taken to Basildon Hospital, where she was kept in for six hours, and will have to see a surgeon about an injury to her hand.

She added: “I can’t write at the minute, but as soon as I can, I want to write some thank you letters.”

The accident happened at around 1.20pm on Monday.

A police spokesman said: “Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a road crash in Orsett.

“The collision involved a black Ford Fiesta and a white lorry in Brentwood Road shortly before 1.30pm on Monday, October 15.”