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Lincolnshire dyke crash couple call for road safety improvements

Olivia Ayres Car upside down in ditchOlivia Ayres
The car rolled into a dyke on Croft Lane and began to fill with water

A couple trapped in an overturned car which filled with water after rolling into a dyke have called for road safety improvements at the crash site.

Andy Spavins, wife Jo and her parents were in the stricken vehicle when it began to slide off the road.

They say they managed to escape with help from family and staff at the pub they had just eaten at.

Records "do not indicate a safety problem" at the location of the crash, Lincolnshire County Council said.

Mr Spavins and his family are also now campaigning for window breakers and seat belt cutters to be installed as standard in cars.

Gemma Dawson/BBC Jo and Andy SpavinsGemma Dawson/BBC
Jo and Andy Spavins have started a petition to call for improved safety measures

Mrs Spavins said they were leaving the Old Chequers Inn on Croft Lane near Croft on 21 December when her mother began to shout.

"I wasn't quite sure what she was yelling for and then it all dawned on us that we were sliding," she said.

"I could hear my children from outside [the car] trying to break in, there was a lot of noise, different screams, Andy was trying to get my mum's seatbelt off, it was just chaos."

Mr Spavins, from Burgh le Marsh, recalled that "everything was happening so fast".

"I don't think we would have got out alive if it wasn't for everyone in [the pub who helped us]," he said.

"We were lucky that anyone actually saw us that night, otherwise things could have turned out very differently."

Olivia Ayres Car being pulled from dykeOlivia Ayres
Andy Spavins said he does not think the family would have survived if pub staff had not helped them escape

He has launched a petition calling for safety measures to be improved and said there should also be better signage around ditches and dykes.

Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at the council, said he could not comment on specific cases but that "in general terms our advice remains for all road users to abide by the conditions and limits of the road".

"At this location the speed limit is 30mph (48kmh) and when referencing the safety records since 1985 there have been very few incidents around this area.

"The records do not indicate a safety problem at this location."

He said it was "not feasible or practical" to place signs or bollards at every ditch or dyke.

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