West Sussex pothole collision: Mum said 'life flashed' before her eyes after car flipped with young son inside

Kerrie Bradshaw was the driver of the car which flipped over on Southwick Street on Monday afternoon (June 3).

Fire crews and police officers were called to the scene, near the junction with Glebe Close, around 4pm.

Kerrie Bradshaw, 46, said she had just taken her 12-year-old son Alfie for a hair cut, when she was driving home to Shoreham – in her Volkswagen Golf – along Southwick Street.

“I saw a pothole ahead of me – a massive one, the biggest I've ever seen,” she said.

"I didn't want to go through it so I went around it. Nothing was coming at the other side so I thought it was clear enough to go all the way around it.

"I didn't quite make it. The front tyres went through it and it was the last thing I remember. The car hit the pothole, then a stationary pick-up truck.

"That made me tip over. We were rolling in the air and crashed upside down. I lost consciousness then.

"I was hanging upside down, with the car leaking fuel.

“I was relieved my son was alive. Your whole life flashes before you. It’s the scariest experience I've had.”

Kerrie said she has been left with concussion and a severe headache as well as a painful arm.

She said her son is also suffering from the affects of shock.

On the pothole, Kerrie said: “I’m furious it wasn't dealt with. All the roads are like that around there but this one was massive. What should you do? Drive through or around them?

“They hadn't put the spray around to warn anybody. All the neighbours were amazing when it happened. I couldn't have asked for better help.

“A lady sprayed it yellow but it's not her job to do that. I was told four cars had gone through the day before and damaged their wheels.

“Residents said it was an accident waiting to happen.”

West Sussex County Council has issued a statement in response to the incident.

A spokesperson said: “We are concerned to hear of any incident in which people are injured and we hope those involved are making a good recovery.

“We can confirm that a pothole was filled at the junction with Glebe Close by West Sussex County Council following a call from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. We cannot comment further on this specific incident.”

In the aftermath of the incident, concerned residents have written to the Worthing Herald – with one person revealing that the potholes situation on Southwick Street has been ‘going on for months’.

They added: “The state of the road is going to continue to present difficulties for drivers navigating around the potholes, which makes it likely that such a situation could occur again, especially as Southwick Street is an extremely busy thoroughfare, linking the main east-west highway, Old Shoreham Road, to the coast road.

"It is not unreasonable to believe that another accident is likely to occur, and that maybe this time the consequences will be much more serious.”