A TRAUMATISED mother told how her family is lucky to be alive after being pinned against a fence by a car.

Mandy White, 42, of Mornington Crescent, Benfleet, was walking her children to school when a car suddenly mounted the pavement after being clipped by another vehicle that failed to stop at a junction.

It crashed into Poppy, 5, and 17-month old baby Taylor, who was in a pram.

Mandy feared her children would be crushed as they became trapped between the car and the fence. The family were rushed to hospital, with Mandy being treated for a facial injury and Poppy treated for leg injuries.

The mum-of-three said: “A white Vauxhall Corsa went straight through the junction of The Avenue and Seymour Road instead of giving way. The lines are so faint that they are barely visible.

“It clipped the back of a silver Toyota Yaris which forced that car to spin 90 degrees and mount the pavement.

“The car hit us and pinned me, my Taylor who was in a pram, and my five-year-old daughter Poppy up against a fence.

“I remember lying on the floor and my five-year-old was laying right next to me with the car over her legs.

“We were all screaming because the car was still revving and I thought that car was going to crush my children. I don’t remember how we got out. We’re lucky to be alive.”

The family have been left traumatised by the ordeal, prompting mum-of-three Mandy to urge Essex County Council to repaint the give way markings.

She added: “To move on from this I need answers. The thought of walking my kids to school gives me such anxiety at the moment.”

Lee Scarisbrick, 58, who lives on the junction, caught the crash on his CCTV cameras..

Mr Scarisbrick said: “It’s harrowing to watch. You can’t quite believe how Mandy and her children weren’t killed.

“This junction has seen many accidents over the last 30 years that I’ve lived here. All have involved vehicles travelling along The Avenue failing to stop at the give way lines.

“I first reported it to the council in 2015 but they say the lines do not meet the requirement for repainting. It’s going to take a fatality before they do anything.”

Essex Highways said: “Our inspectors will visit and check the lines and repaint if required. However, there are also prominent “Give Way” signs on posts at the junction.”

Visit echo-news.co.uk to view the CCTV footage.