A FAMILY is calling for road safety improvements after a car ploughed into their front garden in the middle of the night.

A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving after a black Ford Fiesta crashed into The Begs' front garden in The Ridgeway, Chingford, in the early hours of April 4.

The family and neighbours were woken by a loud bang at 3am as the car smashed through the garden wall.

And father-of-three Aktar Beg, 60, said accidents in the busy street are common and called for traffic calming measures before someone is seriously injured or killed.

He added: "My immediate neighbours have had their front walls destroyed by speeding vehicles three times in recent years.

"It was really shocking last night when we heard the loud bang. All the alarms went off on the cars, the next door neighbours woke up and we knew it was bad.

"They need some kind of traffic calming measures on the roads. After what happened today and considering the other crashes it is clear this road is dangerous. Many people speed on it."

The impact of the car sent brickwork flying up to the front windows of Mr Beg's house and caused an estimated £3,000-worth of damage to cars and a wall.

But Mr Beg said he was just thankful the crash happened at night and not when schoolchildren were walking by or when his family may have been in the driveway.

"It was lucky it was at that time, it could have caused a huge accident," he added.

"With speed bumps or something at least drivers would slow down. At this stage even the zebra crossing is a risk because if someone speeds they will be run over."

The Guardian is waiting for the council to comment on the issue.

Click here to follow the Chingford Guardian on Twitter

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter